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News Podcast

Ep. #162: Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney

Janet Weiss is a tremendously powerful drummer based in Portland, Oregon. Weiss is originally from California and, over the past 20 years, has played in notable bands like Quasi, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Wild Flag, and Drumgasm among others and she has an administrative, behind-the-scenes position on the IFC show, Portlandia. She is most celebrated, however, for her essential role as the drummer in one of the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands, Sleater-Kinney. After going on an indefinite hiatus in 2006, Sleater-Kinney shocked fans by slyly and sneakily announcing a new album via a new box set towards the end of 2014. That album is the critically-acclaimed No Cities to Love, it’s out now on Sub Pop, and the band is touring behind it now, including a Toronto stop on March 2. Here, Janet and I discuss my 15 minute intro, Tony Kiewel and the secret message in the box, how No Cities to Love is all new songs, Quasi playing Touch and Go’s 25th anniversary show in Chicago and possibly covering AC/DC, how touring so much impacted the band, Sleater-Kinney’s chemistry, making magic in a tiny, airless basement, hanging out with Carrie a lot even after the band ended, playing together again for the very first time, touring again, surprises involving clowns, the song “Surface Envy,” and then it’s enough.

Related links: sleater-kinney.com subpop.com vishkhanna.com

Sleater-Kinney Band Photo

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Articles News

Reviewed: On Cinema at the Cinema, Season 6, Episode 1

oncinema

On Cinema at the Cinema: Season 6, Episode 1 (D-)

It’s worth noting that, at its peak, there’s no way a season of On Cinema at the Cinema would receive anything less than a perfect 10/10 or A+ rating. The show’s unique blend of film expertise and insightful conversation between host Tim Heidecker and recurring guest Gregg Turkington made it the logical heir to the classic Siskel & Ebert  series about film criticism. With the sudden and recent departure of Heidecker at the end of last season however, On Cinema has been placed in a precarious position, as evident in its bizarre season six premiere.

When Heidecker announced he was leaving the show and Hollywood for Jackson Hole, Wyoming at the end of season five, he rather begrudgingly suggested that Turkington could take over as host and that, unfortunately, is what has come to pass. There’s no disputing Turkington’s effusiveness for contemporary cinema and, at the best of times, his unassailable enthusiasm for movies and joy for life is infectious. Having said that, his first turn as On Cinema host this past week was a veritable trainwreck.

For some reason, Turkington’s own guest expert was a videotaped version of himself, appearing on a crappy VCR/TV combo mounted on top of a cardboard box. Every time the real Turkington pressed play on a remote so that he could correspond with himself or prattle on about completing his disturbing #501moviesIn501days project, it made Heidecker’s absence that much more painful to bear. That coupled with both Turkingtons delivering five-bags-of-popcorn™ reviews of Jupiter Ascending and The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and an odd new segment called “Golden Age Comedies with W.C. Fields” rendered this episode useless and a disappointment.

It might be a little early in the new host’s tenure for such criticism but, as fans of On Cinema can attest, the show is nothing without Tim Heidecker’s charisma and knowledge and, for the sake of this important show, it’d be best to have him return and rein Turkington in before it’s way too late. (Adult Swim)


 

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News Podcast

Ep. #161: Siskiyou

Siskiyou is the musical moniker of Colin Huebert, a gifted and evocative songwriter who lives in British Columbia. With his previous two albums, Huebert emerged as a strikingly emotive voice in subversive folk music, unafraid to house pretty melodies and hopeful lyrical notions in somewhat surreal and unusual musical packages. The new Siskiyou album is somehow more forceful than any before it; it was borne of physical pain and mental anguish and that shapes one of the most haunting and riveting albums of the year. Siskiyou’s latest record is called Nervous, it’s out now via Constellation Records, and here Colin and I discuss east Vancouver, Nardwuar the Human Serviette and the Tomahawk Restaurant, Colin’s terrible ordeal with a rare hearing and ear disorder, Ten Year Drought and Great Lake Swimmers and Ed Video, leaving Toronto and Great Lake Swimmers, Sandro Perri, mandarin oranges, tension and playing live, playing the drums, hi-fi production, feeling haunted, feeling fear, blaming yourself, funny lyrics and song titles, doubt and intention, explosions and the funniest moment on Nervous, scoring The Happy Film by Stefan Sagmeister, moving back to Ontario, the song “Wasted Genius,” the Smiths, We all used to listen to the Flaming Lips, and that was it.

Related links: siskiyouband.com cstrecords.com vishkhanna.com

Siskiyou2014_AWaber-KKeir_595x400

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