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New KARP compilation an hour of entertaining memories ROSS RAIHALA Originally published Oct. 26, 2001
The Olympia trio once dubbed "the
metal band that even indie rockers can love" has returned from the
dead -- sort of.
Three years after the band's demise, KARP has released the new compilation "Action Chemistry," out Tuesday on Olympia's Punk in My Vitamins.
The 14-track, hourlong disc picks up the loose ends from KARP's recording days and includes almost all the band's singles and compilation tracks as well as a previously unreleased Black Flag cover ("Nothing Left Inside").
The result is an album as strong and (sometimes) ridiculously entertaining as any of the three the band released on Olympia's K Records from 1994 to 1997.
KARP's well-documented love of Black Sabbath and the Melvins is on full display here, although even the earliest tracks suggest KARP rarely failed to put a new spin on such obvious influences. The pair of late-period KARP songs on the disc -- "Prison Shake" and "Rowdy," recorded in 1997 for an Up Records single -- sound like an act at the top of its game.
Rock like a beast
After KARP broke up, band member Jared Warren went on to play with the Tight Bro's from Way Back When. And speaking of the Tight Bro's, the latest e-mail newsletter from Kill Rock Stars contains a hilarious tale from the road written by Jon Quittner.
Before playing a gig in Tucson, the Tight Bro's spotted some roadies for the washed-up '80s shock-metal band W.A.S.P. sidled up to the bar. It turns out W.A.S.P. was playing Tucson the following night. Quittner, so he claims, loved the band back in the day -- so much so that he wrote them a fan letter in 1984.
Quittner said he befriended the roadies in hopes of meeting W.A.S.P.'s flamboyant lead singer Blackie Lawless, who, alas, was too busy with a female admirer back in his hotel room. Instead, the roadies said they could get W.A.S.P.'s guitarist and drummer in to meet Quittner, who was less than impressed with the gesture.
Undeterred, the roadies returned with said W.A.S.P. members, who announced they wanted to join the Tight Bro's on stage.
Wrote Quittner: "This sent me into a sort of laughing fit, but I did tell him that no one in my band other than myself had ever been a fan, and besides, our other guitar player was definitely having none of it. Roadie-man became quite irate ... (and later) declared 'that's why bands like you will only ever play in bars!' "
Still, the "chasm-bridging power of rock and roll" ended up prevailing after the show. Again, from Quittner: "They were wasted and very nice, but the nicest roadie (Carl the guitar tech) just would not shut up about 'let me give you some advice, man: when nationals wanna get on the stage with you, you gotta let 'em. They can help you a lot.' "
Traveling trios
Three artists from the San Francisco-based collective DivaBands will stop in Olympia for a free show at 10 p.m. Tuesday at Le Voyeur, 404 Fourth Ave. E.
Inspired by the Lilith Fair tours, a group of Bay Area female musicians formed DivaBands last year. They began presenting a weekly San Francisco showcase as well as nationwide tours that draw from a pool of 75 artists. The trio that will visit Olympia includes:
- Irish singer/songwriter BeRn, who blends Irish roots and American folk rock.
- The Grammy-nominated performer Roberta Donnay, a co-founder of DivaBands.
- Velvet Janes guitarist/vocalist Martine Locke, who has played with artists such as Ani DiFranco and Arlo Guthrie.
Also on the traveling trio tip, the Abrasive Folk Tour will take over Olympia's Logos Lounge for a show at 9 p.m. Saturday. The evening features three "abrasive songwriters (who) are about to give folk music a good scrubbing."
The evening will feature:
- San Francisco-based Carmaig de Forest, whose first album was produced by Alex Chilton.
- Adam Brodsky, who was recently named "Best Folk Performer" in Philadelphia.
- Accordion-wielding Canadian Geoff Berner, a Vancouver native who plays Seattle quite a bit.
Tickets are $2-$6. The Logos Lounge is upstairs at Olympia World News, 116 Fourth Ave. E.
Ross Raihala covers music for The Olympian. Send news and Top 10 lists to OlyRoss@aol.com. The Olympian Copyright 2001 |
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