Gossip [&] the Devil

Photo by Twink

“If you happen to be of the other mindset, that judges artistic merit on mass acceptance, then you are probably reading the wrong interview and blog.”

Being that Gossip [&] the Devil is an equal opportunity interview slayer, when Kill Hannah’s new touring guitarist, Michael Maddox (who prefers to be called by his surname), asked me to interview him I couldn’t say no. You might remember the other interview I conducted with then-touring guitarist Gil Baram a few months ago. What the fuck? You ask. Yes, raccoon-eyed girls and guys, Maddox is now on the touring grind with Kill Hannah. (In short: Gil returned to Israel briefly to finish some personal business while Kill Hannah were still on tour; Maddox filled in during that time and has stayed with them since.) Before touring with Kill Hannah, however, Maddox was part of regionally successful acts Jupiter Blue and Miser, both of which met their end due to lack of work ethic and that sad state of affairs when you aren’t getting paid.

I remember handing Maddox my card in the rain outside an open venue in Austin, TX. He claimed he gave a great interview and, after hearing his responses to everything from word association to what the humanities have to offer the next generation I’ll submit the guy is right. I threw him some of the hardest questions I could, and he answered them with tact and above all, honesty.

Raised in Texas before reloacting to LA, he has a Southern grace about his California style. The band circuit has failed him on more than one occasion, yet those experiences have hardly dampened his passion; he instead channeled that drive into a solo project. Taking inspiration from family members and other hardworking bands, Maddox does whatever it takes to keep the music coming, help preserve a culture that likely won’t be appreciated in the near future and urges you to “forge your own path regardless of current trends.”

Age: In Hollywood I’m 29, in any other town, I’m a little older.
Sign: Sagittarius
Occupation: Guitarist
Biggest Influences: Brian May, Ace Frehley, Neal Schon, Steve Vai

Musical Synopsis: I began playing on Christmas morning when I was 12 yrs old.  I took two lessons when I was about 14, but got bored pretty quickly and continued learning by ear. Also a lot of trial and error. I essentially just practiced playing along to records that I grew up listening to. A lot of classic rock that I got from my older brother and dad, as well as some of the heavier stuff like Metallica, Judas Priest, etc. I was obsessed with rock and roll right away, and obviously never really wised up all these years later.

I was playing in the Dallas area for quite a while, and wasn’t getting anywhere. The majority of players I was playing with seemed to want to do it part time, or had so many other priorities that I felt like the only one really breaking my neck to make things happen. I moved to LA with a girlfriend that I was also playing with, that lasted about 3 months, of course. Then I decided to do my own thing.

Julie M. Tate: Have you always been a freelance musician? Have you done your fair share of auditioning for bands?

Michael Maddox: I’ve actually not gone on that many true “cold auditions” per say. I have gotten most of my gigs through mutual friends, recommendations, and reputation. I have really tried hard to only play with people, or in bands that I really enjoyed. It would be very difficult for me to dedicate myself to something that I didn’t believe in, or at  least SOME aspect of the overall picture. The only time I’ve ever gone out for an audition that I didn’t  get, was actually the Kill Hannah audition. I lost the lead guitar slot, but apparently came in a close second, so when Dan Wiese decided to get married, I was asked to fill in for him for a few weeks, which turned into me staying on with the band even after Dan returned.

JMT: One of these gigs included Jupiter Blue, who moved from Chicago to LA. What brought you together with them?

MM: It was actually only the singer [Dickie Chapin] that relocated. I saw an ad online about a band looking for a drummer, and by the description it really sounded like my dream band. I checked out some music, the singer was exactly what I’d been looking for my whole career. I emailed him, and told him that I was a terrible drummer, but if some unfortunate accident happened to their guitarist, i.e., a faulty brake cable or some other random mishap, that I’d be glad to take over. As fate would have it, a week later I got a call that their guitarist was moving back home, and that they had a show in a week. I rehearsed twice with them, played the show, and stayed with them for the next 3 or 4 years until the band ended.

Maddox on the set of Jupiter Blue's video for their single "Anthem for the Jaded"

JMT: And Jupiter Blue has a long and sordid history with your current touring band, Kill Hannah, right?

MM: As I said Dickie is originally from Chicago, Kill Hannah’s hometown. They played a lot of shows together as both bands were getting started, and as a matter of fact he played a show or two with them behind the kit, as he is originally a drummer. An early Kill Hannah drummer named James Connelly, was also the first drummer in Jupiter Blue when I joined in LA. There is a long list of mutual friends in the circle as well. While I was in Jupiter Blue, when we would discuss or argue about why the band wasn’t moving further, or faster, I would always point to two bands that displayed an incredible work ethic: Miser and Kill Hannah. The fact that I eventually went on to work with both bands is more than a little ironic.

“I can honestly say that having support from family is a huge advantage when you’re struggling to survive playing music.”

JMT: You moved back to Texas after your nephew was in a motorcycle accident, giving up what you had in LA. Have you always been close with your family and do they support your dreams?

MM: I am very close with my family, and have always been. My nephew was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident last year, so I decided to move back to Texas to help out with him. It turned out he didn’t really need my help, and is doing fine on his own. So, luckily I got a call from the band Miser to join them, which I did for a bit before moving back to LA.

My parents are still married, which is a rarity these days. They have not always been thrilled with my lifestyle or career choices but have always backed me, and been ecstatic about any successes I’ve achieved. I can honestly say that having support from family is a huge advantage when you’re struggling to survive playing music.

JMT: I’m sure watching your nephew come back from such a potential tragedy was inspiring.

MM: My nephew was and is absolutely an inspiration. It makes it difficult to complain or not see the bright side of any situation when i think about what he struggles with everyday. He hasn’t let being in a wheelchair stop him from having a completely full life, and he stays in excellent shape with his upper body in the hope that when and if stem cell technologies advance he will be a perfect candidate.

Photo by Twink

JMT: Miser, as you explained in your Myspace blog, met its demise because no one was making money. Then you made the curious decision to make a solo record, almost in complete defiance of that sentiment. Where are those songs now, and can we hear them?

MM: I really had come to a place with other musicians in general, where I felt like it didn’t matter how much effort I put into it, it would always be derailed by someone else’s lack of drive. When I decided to do a solo record, it was really just the idea of me saying, “fuck being in a band, I’m going to produce something that didn’t rely on anyone else’s dedication or schedule other than my own.” I have about 10 songs in the works now, I don’t know when I will have the time to continue working on them in the foreseeable future, but I’m really proud of them and would like them to be heard eventually. I’m not interested in pushing them as a product, it really is just sort of a pet project up to this point. It’s been nothing but Kill Hannah for the last few months, and I’m so happy to be in a band that truly works incredibly hard everyday for the same goal. It’s really the ideal band situation I’ve always looked for, so I don’t mind at all putting my pet project on the back burner for a while.

“Hopefully, things will continue to go well…but if not I really don’t have the desire to run out and join another band.”

JMT: Are you looking for a permanent gig to write/record with?

MM: This sort of feeds back into my earlier answer about being fed up with bands in general. When I came to Los Angeles after playing with Miser,  I had no intention of getting back into a band situation, unless it was just a very comfortable fit and was something I could really believe in. I really can’t think of any bands I would have gone out of my way to play with besides Kill Hannah. Hopefully, things will continue to go well with them, but if not I really don’t have the desire to run out and join another band. I would more likely return home to work on my solo material.

JMT: Kill Hannah usually have murderous touring schedules. How’s tour been so far? The shows with She Wants Revenge seemed to have gone great, as well as your current tour with Jet and Papa Roach.

MM: The shows have been absolutely amazing. The tour schedule is very hectic, especially with us filling in the days off from the Papa Roach and Jet tour with our own headlining shows. This is a band that is not afraid to work though, I feel very lucky to be a part of such  a dedicated group of guys. I have to keep reminding myself that these guys have been at it a long time, so whenever I worry that maybe  someone is getting burnt out, that they have already proven themselves time and time again that they are dedicated to the work they do.  I’m just so used to band mates pulling the plug when things get a little rough, so again I feel very lucky to be working with a band  with such a great work ethic.

“I think the key thing in Kill Hannah, right now, is to keep it sounding like Kill Hannah, which means making it  sound the way Mat Devine hears in his head.”

JMT: Kill Hannah really are about growing their product, enhancing it and making it thicker, tighter and more productive. How do you help enhance Kill Hannah’s sound?

MM: I think the key thing in Kill Hannah, right now, is to keep it sounding like Kill Hannah, which means making it  sound the way Mat Devine hears in his head. I’ll take certain liberties with things like effects,  and occasionally I will throw in a few little things musically, but to be honest I usually hear about  it after the show. *laughs*  Other players have come in and not really fit the sound, so the way to do  it is to give them what they want now, and as time goes on, and they learn to trust my style things will  evolve organically.

Maddox with Kill Hannah, September 2009 (Photo by R. E. Barbash)

JMT: Are you neurotic? In Kill Hannah you have to be neurotic.

MM: Oh my god, do you think I’m neurotic? Why would you think I’m neurotic? Do I seem neurotic? I have to do something about this neurosis, what should I do? Does that answer your question?

JMT: What’s the first word that comes to mind when faced with the following words or phrases:

MM:

Miser: jager
Jupiter Blue: under utilized potential
Kill Hannah: hard working
Eyeliner: war paint
Profits: never heard of it.
Record Label President: never heard of us
Faygo: ridiculous

“It’s a real shame that kids today don’t  take the same interest generally in the details of the music they care about.”

JMT: Did you have a big record collection as a kid? Did it save your life?

MM: Oh yeah. I bought EVERYTHING. I was the guy that would buy all types of music,  just to get turned on to new things. I love owning entire catalogs from artists like Queen, or Zeppelin. I have about four huge racks of cd’s with a ton of vinyl and cassettes as well. I used to read every liner note,  every credit on every record that I bought while growing up. It’s a real shame that kids today don’t  take the same interest generally in the details of the music they care about. It’s interesting to me, that growing up, I only knew about 2 or 3 kids that were into the same movies, albums, and bands that I was. As I’ve gotten older, I seem to have gravitated towards like minded people, and now have a huge group of friends that were/are exactly like I was as a kid. Of course, we’ve all taken those influences and lived different lives through them, which is important. It’s exciting to find that common ground in a new friend though.

JMT: We’re in the Information Age and great works of art are reduced to entries on Wikipedia. Given your pursuit of your dreams both on your own and with others, do you believe the humanities are an important part in preserving our culture?

MM: I’m going to be really honest here, because it’s something that I think about a lot. I think that in a few years, nothing is going to be “special” to the next generation. The incredible sense of entitlement, in addition to instant information and technology at their  fingertips, means that future generations will have no interest in cultivating anything original or artistic. Anything we can do as artists to keep  the sacredness of music, literature, and art alive is paramount. Every 12-year-old has a recording studio on their new laptop, that is light years beyond what The Beatles used to record Sgt. Pepper. Having said that, music has never been more stale and unoriginal. There is a correlation there. Stop buying new software that gives you fifty new drums sounds. Stop thinking that by owning Pro Tools, you are an artist. Stop thinking that getting new gear means you are becoming a better player.  We have to stop collecting technology as a bragging right, and go back to working on the craft of UTILIZING what we have in new and exciting ways.

Maddox and I happy to be alive in Lawrence, KS, October 2009

JMT: Do you think an artist’s job is important to the whole, or do you think an artist is self-serving first and foremost?

MM: I believe that to be a “true artist” you have to shun convention, and forge your own path regardless of current trends or  or what the current cultural momentum is. This is in direct contrast to being a “successful artist” in our world today. It’s not only  easier, but it’s been proven that almost the ONLY way to be a success, is to create carbon copies of the previous model and  water it down until it’s devoid of any real creativity. There is a way to take the things that influenced you as a younger person, and push it into new directions. Think outside the box, but reference what shaped you to become the person you are today. It’s a pretty exclusive group that seem to be able to do this. Marilyn Manson, Lady Gaga, Trent Reznor, Wayne Coyne and even Mat Devine are a few that come to mind, that possess this trait. This is all just my opinion, of course. If you happen to be of the other mindset, that judges artistic merit on mass acceptance, then you are probably reading the wrong interview and blog.

(Kill Hannah are currently on tour with Jet and Papa Roach. Check their Myspace or killhannah.com for details on this and their upcoming New Heart For Xmas show held annually in Chicago!)

inside the DIY ARTBOOK project :: drawings by Natascha Peiser

No one gets into this business to make money. If you’ve succumbed to an artists calling you’re admitting you’re willing to spend your life in poverty and constant question from those around you who just don’t get it. DIY labors are born of love, dedication and a drive you can’t quite explain. Sometimes your faith shakes, cries and downright denies its ability to continue. But you do, because you must and because there are others who believe in you.

Natascha Peiser is one of these people. In a recent interview with Silverthorn Press, Natascha said: ” I´m a self-taught artist. I am learning by doing.”

A art-liver in her own right she’s been a fan and friend of G[&]D nearly since the beginning, finding a home among the Modern Orphan mantra and supporting however she could, much to my appriceation. This is how we came together, though an entire ocean separates us (She lives in Hamburg, Germany). This is the power of art and the humanities. Two like minds, suffering and surviving for their art, striving to carve a small place for our own works in the vast expanse of the universe.

When she began work on her DIY ARTBOOK project I admired her and indeed planned on purchasing one when she was through. I was excited she had decided to pursue her art in some fashion for she’s quite a remarkable sketch artist; she’s even been endorsed by the likes of Amanda Palmer. When she asked me to contribute I was honored and some time later sent her some handwritten, typed and burned up works of poetry to be included among its decorated pages. The result is her very first book project, which she’s proudly finished and set for sale today.

inside the DIY ARTBOOK project :: drawings by Natascha, words by yours truly

This is a genuine labor of love–love for art, love for preservation and the unshakable belief that there is something more to these endeavors we pursue than sheer vanity and ego, that these things can forge connections across oceans and modes of thinking. You can purchase the DIY ARTBOOK featuring Natascha and myself here in her webstore for only $10, which includes free international shipping. Don’t forget all of my works featured in the DIY ARTBOOK can also be found in my first chapbook, The Rough Chronicles of Bipolar Romance available through modern.orphan.designs. for $10 as well, including shipping. Independent art is alive and well! Modern Orphans unite!

inside the DIY ARTBOOK :: art and words by yours truly :: soon for sale at modernorphandesigns.com

Troubadour 21 :: The “My Brother Billy” Series and Upcoming Interviews

I touched on this in the last post but I’ll expand just a little further with this one. Troubadour 21 has aptly named  my series”My Brother Billy”–  an out-of-order, sexually charged, angsty series I created over two years ago on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico when I was looking for a new muse to guide me during a particularly dark and troubled time. They are stories of a twenty-something girl, her much older brother and her love interest, Nathaniel. They’ve recieved rave reviews from the editors of T21 and as a result I’ve been contracted to write a story a week for them to continue the series. I hope to publish them all in book form one day and , in all honesty, this excercise is forcing me to write during this writing drought I’m experiencing and so I thank them from the bottom of my heart for giving me a chance.

Lead Article featuring my “Billy” series by Editor Paquita Roth

And, in case you missed them, here are parts I through III of the series–take a taste and see for yourself:

Part I :: Living Under Glass
Part II :: The Inquisition
Part III :: The Invention of Hopeless Beach

Part IV will be posted soon and I’ll make sure to keep them updated as best I can on here, including links on the side bar for easy access. If you enjoy them, please share them with your friends and help me achieve a readers choice status!

Also, in the spirit of crossing art borders and in G[&]D breaking news, I have upcoming interviews with the authors of the forthcoming poetry and photography book, Flowers + Filth: Rock photographer Lisa Johnson and William Francis of Aiden! Look for those in the near future, as well as my interview with Kill Hannah’s newest touring guitarist, Maddox, coming as soon as he has a break from tour! Get ready to feast your eyeballs on deliciousness with these. I’m super jazzed about working with such talented and well-spoken individuals.

It has been a bleak month creatively and will likely continue into a bleak November, but on this Devil’s Night it’s forever important to remember that while pressing on is the last thing you want to do, it is essential. For if we do not fight to keep these things alive, if we do not create the art needed to bind human beings to one another, no one else will. Unique is the person willing to take on the burden, and the blessing, of being an artist. Keep being brave, dear Orphans.

P.S. If you’re in Tulsa this coming Tuesday I’ll be reading from The Rough Chronicles of Bipolar Romance at the Gypsy Coffee House [303 N Cincinnati Ave, Tulsa, OK 74103] starting around 8pm – come, grab some great lattes and open your ears. Copies of my book will be available at this time as well!

The Flaming Lips, September 2009 (Photo by R. E. Barbash)

Photography is only recently coming into its own as an art form. But photography has cemented a place in the arts for some of the same reasons as painting: preservation. Two different sets of eyes using the same camera will capture different results. We are allowed a view from someone else’s perspective. Photographers freeze moments we’ll treasure forever; whether it’s that special magic during a show or your children running in the park, photography can grab a fistful of what the human eye must let go.

Rachael Barbash has been capturing the insanity at concerts for years, and many fans turn to her website to re-live the memories. While still a student at Columbia State Community College she’s logged countless experience and face time.

Rachael stubbornly pursues her dream despite making little to no money doing what she loves. The hundreds of photos she posts to her Flickr account are free for people to take and use. But, like musicians or painters she considers herself an important part of the humanities.

In the days when every 14-year-old in the world has a digital camera, what separates her from the masses who want photo passes and recognition on the scene? What separates those who do it for art vs. those who are hobbyists?  Rachael sheds some light on the subject below when I asked her a few questions about what makes photography an art form.

Years shooting: 7

Sign: Aries

Julie M. Tate: We’ll start easy. First band you ever shot?

R. E. Barbash: I was kind of late to come to the concert scene since I was a bit of a homebody in high school and lacked any serious form of transportation.  Once I left for college I started going to shows pretty regularly.  The first band I ever shot while performing was OKGo in 2001 with a little 35mm disposable camera.  Once I got a more professional camera, a 35mm Canon SLR, the first band I shot was Kill Hannah who was performing at an outdoor festival at Ohio State, where I was going to school at the time. I finally got my first digital SLR, a Canon Rebel, before the 2006 South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX. Thousands of band play there every year and is an amazing experience.

Kill Hannah, September 2009 (Photo By R. E. Barbash)

JMT: Who have been some of the easiest bands to shoot live? The hardest?

REB: By far the easiest band I’ve shot is Kill Hannah, partly because I’ve been to so many of their shows but also because their stage presence is probably the most engaging I’ve ever seen.  Recently I shot the Flaming Lips who were also amazing.

The hardest bands to photograph have definitely been on the recent Alternative Press tours (Mayday Parade, the Academy is…, Set Your Goals, You Me At Six and the Secret Handshake).  The guys never seem to take a pause and are just constantly running around the stage.  The kids at these shows are crazy though! Very fun.

JMT: What makes a band easy or difficult to photograph?

REB: It’s much easier to photograph a band if you know their music.  That way you can sort of guess what they’re going to do on stage and how a crowd might react to a song but you don’t always have that advantage.  I’ve shot some bands who just sound like noise (no matter how poppy they actually are) and I can’t guess their next move.  I’ll end up at the wrong side of the stage at the wrong time and miss amazing moments of their act.  Also, bands who look like they’re having fun and engage the audience area always the most enjoyable to shoot.

Innerpartysystem, January 2009 (Photo by R. E. Barbash)

JMT: You’ve been capturing concerts for years. I’m sure music had an impact on your life outside of the lens as well. Do you consider yourself an artist? If so, how has music in particular shaped the artist you are today, and who are some of your favorite artists personally? If not, what does photography do for you?

REB: More than an artist, I think of myself as capturing what’s already there and trying to show the beauty of the world.  What I photograph most regularly is live shows so music has been a huge part of my life.  I love catching what happens on stage and the interaction between the performer and their fans.  I love so many bands but my favorite musicians are the Smashing Pumpkins, IAMX, Radiohead, Muse, Thursday, Interpol, Rasputina, Emilie Autumn, The Dresden Dolls, local guys Flotation Walls and, of course, the bands Kill Hannah and Shiny Toy Guns who pretty much taught me to use my camera by shooting them so often.  As far as visual art goes I love the work of Kyle Cassidy, a documentary and portrait photographer, Pete Souza, the White House photographer, and digital artist Natalie Shau.  As the photographers go, their work really inspires me because they capture real life but show it at a different angle.  Show ordinary things in a new light.

JMT: Favorite photographers?

REB: It’ll sound corny but my favorite photo ever by another artist is probably this photo of the Obamas:

Most of my favorite photos have a very big photo journalistic aspect to them and Pete Souza is one of the best documentary photographers out there.  Other favorites are Kyle Cassidy, Kristen Burns, Philip Warner and Akif Hakan Celebi. As well, there are very talented photographers who are also in my photo program at CSCC.  I can’t wait to see what they do in the future.

JMT: What tends to catch your eye in a natural setting?

REB: While I have done some studio photography, most of my photos not taken at shows have come from random moments throughout the day, which is why I try to always have a camera with me.  Usually the way lights hit an object or just the ambiance of a scene.

Untitled (Photo by R. E. Barbash)

JMT: Is there a place in the arts for things like studio work or is that merely a means to an artistic end? (I.E. getting paid)

REB: I think if you think of yourself as an artist, then you’re an artist.  If you think of yourself as a corporate slave then that’s what you are.  Even photographers at Wal-Mart family portrait studios can have some artistic input to their shots.  Though most of my favorite photographers are actually more on the documentary side of things.  Beautiful things can be made out of ordinary every day scenes.  For example, just the other day, undeveloped negatives by street photographer Vivian Maier were just unveiled and I was captivated for hours looking at her photos of Chicago in the 1950s.  If this is your thing and you’re lucky, maybe you’ll get hired on by a magazine or newspaper.  But mostly photography is done for yourself.

JMT: To me, photography is akin to a poem in that it captures a point in time that you can never get back. Especially considering the way I write, a poem can be a little picture made of words and vice versa. There’s a beautiful marriage that happens when two art forms cross over. Considering books like the upcoming Flowers + Filth by photographer Lisa Johnson and lyricist wiL Francis, they can be put together to make a compelling and unique piece of art. Have you ever considered doing something of the sort

REB: That’s similar to Who Killed Amanda Palmer, the book. Photos and words can always work together.

The Shiny Toy Guns, April 2009 (Photo by R. E. Barbash)

JMT: Much like music testifies to a time or paintings reflect it’s surroundings, what is photography’s place in preserving our culture and why is it important?

REB: As far as preserving our culture, photography can not only capture events but it can show someone’s individual view of the world. Even though photography has been around for more than a hundred years it’s just beginning to be respected as an art form. Whether it’s a set up scene or documenting an event an exact scene happen again or be seen the same way by different eyes.  It’s important to freeze the moment so others can see what was there.

R. E. Barbash (Photo credit: Unknown)

(For more information visit R. E. Barbash Photography. Rachael currently attends CSCC.)

“…a song I haven’t sung since I was a little brat in Connecticut,” sings Kill Hannah’s Mat Devine on their latest effort, Wake Up the Sleepers.

He’s right.

Sleepers is no doubt Kill Hannah’s most honest and ambitious album to date, the “album we’ve always wanted to make,” according to the band. More than their major label efforts, For Never and Ever and Until There’s Nothing Left of Us, this album stays truer to the original “Kill Hannah sound” that decorated the band’s first albums: an infectious blending of sludge and sleaze, glitter, dance beats, space cadet effects and afro-Cuban drum parts. Somewhere inside this album lies the aural cocktail that’s been eluding them since the release of American Jet Set in 1999, and they’ve attempted every trick in the book to re-discover it, including guest appearances by everyone from Benji Madden to Amanda Palmer.

One must take risks in producing such an ambitious effort, and Kill Hannah has not fallen short in that regard.  In doing so, however, they must be prepared for those risks to turn people off. Several of Kill Hannah’s influences have learned this the hard way, notably U2 (Pop) and The Smashing Pumpkins (Machina/The Machines of God).

Key track “Escape Artistry” is “All That He Wants (American Jet Set)” updated for 2009 and “Living in Misery,” is every bit as grandiose as Devine’s dreams—an epic, hopeful ballad featuring larger-than-life Twitter-er and sometime musician Palmer, a children’s choir and the chorus, “We are living in misery, but we have to hold on.”  With throwaway lyrics and a beat meant to move you, “Tokyo (Dance In The Dust)” takes influence from friends Shiny Toy Guns and their hit “Le Disko,” despite the questionable and unnecessary T-O-K-Y-O chant let loose toward the end of the song.

Self-produced and pieced together in four different studios around Chicago and in Canada, the album alternates from hopeful to hopeless, lovesick to love-heals-all-things. The fact a few of the songs were written years apart from one another explains some of the manic-depressive mood swings. Fan favorite “New York City Speed” was an internet demo leaked years ago, while rock-love song “Acid Rain” was written during the Until There’s Nothing Left of Us sessions. These songs act as the glue holding the album together and bind new with old, attempting to keep the band’s promise to “unite all the Kill Hannah fans from the last 10 years, and do everything in our ability to continue to earn [their] loyalty.”

The mixing on the album feels just as scattered—tracks like “Mouth 2 Mouth,” “Escape Artistry” and “Strobelights” sound like they belong on one album, while “Living in Misery” and “Laika” on another. Complete downer “Promise Me” samples a string orchestra and features live tympani drums, but the subtleties are such it barely seems to break through demo waters. The song has potential to be a heart-rending, moody ballad, but comes across as neglected next to the slick production of “New York City Speed” and “Radio.”

Dan Wiese performed virtually all of the guitar work (aside from a couple guest turns), due to the departure of Jonny Radtke (who makes a sole appearance on “Acid Rain”). He gives the album a depth missing in previous KH efforts, layered in distortion and effects, a mad concoction of thick sound. Wiese’s vibe is more indie than metal, and instead of sprawling solos you get sonic landscapes crafted from the belly of this effect scientist’s laboratory.  The guitars are dripping with whatever Wiese can pull from his pedal board, adding a refreshing touch to a tried-and-true formula.

Drummer Elias Mallin plays on his first record with the band and adds the touch of metal flair with a thunder of double bass and added rhythmic complexity.  His contribution is especially noticeable with improvements on old favorites (“Welcome to Chicago Motherfucker”) and the occasional stray from the 4/4 time supported by bassist Greg Corner.

Devine lets his voice loose, stripping away the Pro Tools and letting his elfin, strained moans and shrieks come to life on their own terms. It’s one of his finest performances vocally and lyrically as he tries to tackle subjects only hinted at on previous albums. While his trademark turns of phrase are evident (“…and so we say goodbye, with thunder in our eyes…”) he also takes the blame (“Promise Me”), gives a free-style confessional (“Why I Have My Grandma’s Sad Eyes”) and tells his detractors to fuck off (“Radio”).

While Wake Up the Sleepers has some cringe-worthy moments (the T-O-K-Y-O chant) it has some triumphant ones as well (the chorus to “Strobe Lights”).  By far my biggest complaint about the record is song order. While likely intended to be schizophrenic and experimental it comes across as sloppy and disagreeable. The album jumps and jars so often I finally gave up and made my own playlist, which I’ll post below.

Regardless of the collective opinion, Kill Hannah make no apologies and have again made an album unlike any of their contemporaries. They are busy living, creating, and taking risks—rather than catering to a specific audience or delivering a disc put together by a label.  They are honesty warriors making the music they want to make. From their ambitious Chicago roots Kill Hannah’s message has always centered on hope and the unbeatable desire to press ever onward.

They’ve faced obstacles that have destroyed other bands; their suffering supplements their art. Through fire, trial, struggle and change emerges “a renewed sense of fearlessness and freedom during the writing and recording process that we haven’t felt since our independent DIY days in Chicago. We took a lot of chances, because this is the album that we want to be remembered by,” said Devine.

They danced with major labels and painted their faces; now Kill Hannah seem eager to jump into the bare grit of the sweat-soaked crowd, the sleepless that have always been awake, wearing trademark sniper hearts on their sleeves.

Julie M. T.’s recommended song order:

1. Mouth 2 Mouth
2. Snowblinded
3. Why I Have My Grandma’s Sad Eyes
4. Radio
5. Escape Artistry
6. New York City Speed
7. Strobe Lights
8. Tokyo (Dance in the Dust)
9. Laika
10. Vultures (Be There For Me)
11. Acid Rain
12. Promise Me
13. Living in Misery
14. (Bonus) Welcome to Chicago Motherfucker

(Visit killhannah.com for numerous Wake Up the Sleepers packages, or buy the album on Itunes here. Kill Hannah are currently on tour with Jet and Papa Roach. Check their Myspace for details.)

Most musicians have large loads.

[Disclaimer: this post will be a scrapbook of pictures. This is an entirely "checking-in" post and will likely sound schizophrenic.]

In short: It has been busy these last few weeks. So busy in fact that when I looked at the date of my last post I nearly fainted. My apologies for making you wait. Bated breath, and all that.

In long: I’ve been back and forth between sanity and insanity these last few weeks and there isn’t a whole lot I can put to paper [or screen] at the moment. I’m working my ass off trying to get the re-launch of [modern.orphan.designs.] off the ground but as a one-woman operation I’m starting to feel the effects. I gave myself a lengthy-yet-reasonable time table in which to get all of these designs up [including my fucking book, The Rough Chronicles of Bipolar Romance, which needs to see the light of day now that it's finally here] but there are things hindering me from doing so. But never fear, the same time frame is in place and M.O.D. should have a re-launch sometime in the next month. [Don't forget to sign up for the G&D Feed, or sign up with your email using the M.O.D. site or the right hand side of this screen, so you'll know exactly when M.O.D. re-launches and get your limited, 1st edition copy of TRCOBR!]

I’m also trying to attend the annual Nimrod Literary Conference coming up in October, but between the recent job loss, hospital stays and lack of launching M.O.D., the money situations looking a little dire. I’ll never understand why the entrance fees are so fucking expensive. Since “Orphan” is the key word around here, if anyone has some change they can throw into my proverbial velvet hat, please do so using the Paypal donation button to your right. Even $3 can help me go and attend classes to further my art, learn new techniques and refine my skills so that I can come and tell you for free on here.

There’s also a bit of news going on with myself and a few familiar faces you’ve seen around G&D – currently I’m working on a DIY Artbook Project with Natascha Artworx from Hamburg, Germany! This is a 100% DIY and made-with-love endeavor and, once finished will look fabulous! Miss N. sent me a few of her paintings in the mail and I was floored – she works a lot of the time in watercolor which is a medium I could never master in college. So, as soon as I get my parts done and send them off look for that in the near future!

In even more other news, I met up with Kill Hannah last week and managed to stay sober the entire time, thus eliminating my need for pictures-as-proof. Consider these pictures-for-pleasure. You might recognize this face from an interview I conducted about a month ago:

Gil and I are on a mission to fuck you up.

Maddox - looking like a demon. I didn't fix the red eye because I'm for shit at Photoshop.

[On Kill Hannah's current tour with She Wants Revenge, Maddox is filling in for Dan Wiese who was married yesterday and by now is well on his way toward a honeymoon. Maddox has played in a handful of regionally successful acts including Miser and Jupiter Blue, with whom Kill Hannah have a long and sordid history. He also asked me to interview him so we'll see where that ends up. Hit me up M!]

The reason why this isn’t filed under “I just need the airfare [&] I’m gone” is because, while yes I funded my entire portion on change, the hotel stays were hardly 4-star and I wasn’t nearly so concerned with the amenities of the entire thing. The La Quinta in Dallas was decent, even though they fucked me on a smoking room and the Motel 6 in Austin had no carpet, the ugliest bedspread known to man, no hot water and the air conditioner leaked so badly when I arrived back to the motel clothing and shoes were soaked in freezing water.

For the rest of the story follow me on Twitter. It’s stuffed full of stories-in-pictures, sarcasm and hope[lessness].

Heidi Cannon and John Bourke at the Trash Yourself release party in LA.

In keeping with familiar faces, DJ/Producer John Bourke, who I’ve interviewed in the past had a release party at H. Wood for the new effort from Trash Yourself, titled “Forget It.” Find it, buy it and dance your ass off. Although John admitted Trash Yourself had never done an Oklahoma show before, that’s about to change on October 28th as their Myspace calender claims to have TY playing Robotic in Oklahoma City.

So, Orphans, now that you know what I’ve been up to your charge is to go out and find a great show to attend and tell me about it. Write an email, send pictures, poems or other forms of evidence – I don’t care. I’ll even post a couple on G&D. I want stories of sweat, screaming, catharsis and need. You could even check out She Wants Revenge/Kill Hannah on tour, or find Trash Yourself ’s new CD and throw your own house party.

Report back and we’ll compare stories!