Revolt of the Apes

ANCIENT RIVER

“Relax and Float Downstream”

by Ryan Muldoon

It remains unclear exactly which river sparked the creativity of Florida’s Ancient River (also unclear: what passes for ancient in the land of Epcot Center?). Perhaps it’s metaphorical, perhaps it’s allegorical, perhaps it just doesn’t matter. The fact is that three young men from Florida have taken up the magical tools of their forefathers – guitar, bass and drums – and like so many river-watchers before them, have seen the tools converge into something greater than the sum of its parts.

It may be that this Ancient River carries one of the core messages on the Austin Psych Fest as a whole: that the psychedelic experience (musically speaking, for the moment) is at once incredibly personal and yet, incredible relate-able, incredibly shareable.

Band members J. Barreto (guitar and vocals), Zach Veltheim (bass) and Chad Voight (drums) took part in that sharing in advance of their Austin Psych Fest performance.

Can you tell us a little bit about how Ancient River came together as a band? Does your friendship extend past the history of the band? How have your own relationships about music changed since forming the band?

Ancient River rolls on ...

Zach: We came together through mutual friends.  We were friends that started playing together out of our mutual love and respect for music. I think our relationships with music have grown since coming together. I’m constantly inspired and delighted with what happens when we play together.

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DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN

“Here Comes the Sun”

by Ryan Muldoon

Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about the ambitious and cohesive (and criminally out of print) album “Visions of the Ocean Head” by Minneapolis’ sons, Daughters of the Sun, is that it was followed by another album that was just as ambitious and cohesive (if not more so) in 2009’s “Rings.”

Both albums contain song-cycles at once other-worldly and completely familiar, a place where tribal drums, lethal-levels of guitar feedback and alien tape loops never overrule the great vocal or memorable hook that’s right around the corner. There’s timelessness to the music of Daughters of the Sun that’s hard to explain. It may be the ancient sound of the future; it may be the future sounds of the ancients. It may be what happens when Hawkwind, Guided By Voices and Napalm Death albums are readily available to Minnesota’s youth.

We’re not sure – and neither is their drummer, Bennett. But he’s answering our questions anyway.

Does the name Daughters of the Sun have anything to do with the 2004 Iranian film of the same name? Does it have anything to do with Robert Plant’s assertion in “Going to California” that the “Children of the sun begin to wake”? Is it possible there is a connection to the Billy Thorpe concept album, “Children of the Sun”? Or perhaps even the final track from Hawkwind’s “In Search of Space” LP? Am I looking too hard for meaning in the name … or not hard enough?

Set the controls for the heart of the Daughters of the Sun

The name of the band is actually a Tyrannosaurus Rex lyric off the album Unicorn, I think.

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THE MEEK

“Eight Days a Meek”

by Ryan Muldoon

Take a spin through the New Testament (or, if you prefer, the equally holy early records by Rush) and you’ll be informed that the meek shall inherit the earth. Whether this is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen – though if the L.A. band known as The Meek is spinning the soundtrack come judgment day, be prepared for a little bit of both.

Light and dark, black and white, blessing and curse – The Meek show no qualms dealing with these dualities, and certainly no qualms with a name that mocks their sound: a sound that builds on the tone set by The Velvet Underground’s “White Light, White Heat,” raises the reverb and distortion levels to the point that they bounce off of the moon and into your awaiting ears. And your ears shall inherit The Meek.

Singer Amy Lee tells us a little more.

I’m interested in the origin of the band’s name, “The Meek.” Is it a reference to the Bad Brains song of the same name, from the “Rock for Light” album? Was there a conscious decision to choose a band name that, at first blush, stands to contradict the passion of your sound? Will the meek (or The Meek), in fact, inherit the earth?

The Meek ... photo by Jeff Forney

I asked a retired beatnik friend of mine who wanders the streets of Hollywood and who visits my newsstand, “What should I name my band?” and he said “THE MEEK” … I think he thought me meek. I had the name before I wrote any songs. I don’t mind the reference to the legendary Joe Meek. “Blessed are the meek…” I like the idea that good deeds merit eternal rewards. Yet the origin of the word is something like taming a wild animal, I think our sound is closer to that idea. I’ve never heard the Bad Brains Song. I like the Simon & Garfunkel song “Blessed”.

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Screen Vinyl Image

“Happiness Is a Warm Drum (Machine)”

by Ryan Muldoon

They say it takes two to tango – apparently, it also takes two to create a massive wall of overdriven, electronic, ear-splitting musical beauty. Or at least that’s what the two members of Screen Vinyl Image have a reputation for doing.

On their most recent album, “Interceptors,” the duo known as Screen Vinyl Image (Jake and Kim Reid) make the most of countless waves of guitar layers, synthetic beats and keyboard craziness, coming together for a sound that’s dangerous – but somehow, delightfully digestible. When performing live, SVI seek to answer that eternal question, “What would happen if Goblin did the score to Dario Argenta’s ‘Susperia’ after buying the world’s largest PA, bathing themselves in neon light and threatening to crack the audience’s backs through sheer volume?”

And the answer is, “It would be awesome.”

What can you tell me about your commitment to providing a visually stunning live performance? Was that a natural progression or something more of a pre-determined goal for Screen Vinyl Image?

We used to use visuals in our old band Alcian Blue. We started out with a 16mm projector and found films on eBay and then we moved onto doing our own stuff with a digital projector. When we started SVI we wanted to continue that tradition so we started out with oil projectors and strobes before moving onto the digital projector and editing our own visuals. Kim also wanted to do something different from the white strobe effect which is why we use color gels. It’s a big inspiration from watching Italian horror movies. We also try to change up the visuals every few months so you might see some of the same stuff, but then a lot of new material as well.

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RINGO DEATHSTARR

“We All Live in a Shoegaze Submarine”

by Ryan Muldoon

It was somewhat surprising to learn that there are those among us who find the name Ringo Deathstarr to be, in the words of the All-Music Guide, “irritatingly cutesy.” Maybe I’m just easily amused, or maybe I just maintain a nearly life-long fascination with the former Mr. Richard Starkey, or maybe I just think that – despite the inevitable decline in appreciation for all things Darth Vader-related that comes from being a 36-year old father of two – the concept of a “Death Star” is still pretty bad ass.

Whatever it is, I have no shame in admitting to falling in love with Ringo Deathstarr immediately after hearing the name, and was even more pleased when I heard their music, more than capably holding up its own end of the bargain as well (as opposed to, say, Cannibal Corpse).

Singer-guitarist Elliot Frazier was kind enough to answer a few questions, in advance of their appearance at Austin Psych Fest 3.

Ringo Deathstarr in repose

 

What can you offer us about the origin of the band’s name? It’s such a perfect example of a winking portmanteau – very welcoming. I mean, who wouldn’t want to know about a band called Ringo Deathstarr?

The Dandy Warhols, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Ringo Deathstarr … why the hell not?

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SISTERS OF YOUR SUNSHINE VAPORS:

“Vapor-back Writers”

By Ryan Muldoon

There’s really no excuse for not hearing the debut album from Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapors – unless you simply don’t have access to an internet connection (so, how are you reading this?). Or maybe you’re simply deaf – if that’s the case, our most sincere apologies.

But perhaps it’s that you simply don’t care for loud, infectious, riff-driven psych rock, the kind that howls, feeds back, throws punches, and oozes from all corners of the full, self-titled album this Detroit-based trio have made available for download – for free download – at their website. Now if that’s the case … there’s really not a whole lot we can do for you, is there?

The entire trio (Sean – Vocals/Guitar, Eric – Bass/Backing Vocals and Rick- Drums) responded to the following questions in advance of their appearance at Austin Psych Fest 3.

Can you tell me a little bit about how the band got together? Did any of you have a history of playing together before coming together as Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor?

Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapors - photo by Charlie Naebeck

Sean: All three of us played together as a band under the name SikSik Nation for about three years. We released an EP in 2006 and full length in the spring of 2008. Currently we have taken on a new identity. We really feel that the direction of the project has drastically changed over the last three years and it was time for a name change and a new full length.

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