Shoutbus - ¡Shoutbus!
stogref
10/04/2017 04:47PM
Shoutbus - ¡Shoutbus!
Torque Records 1996 7'' EP
BBQ Side
01. Tucker
02. Hoss Parade
03. Quiz
04. Ideas
05. Smear Campaign
Torque Side
06. Station Wagon
07. Samson
08. Excuses, Excuses
09. If Reagan Played Disco
Washington, DC-based trio Shoutbus was the brainchild of Billups Allen (bass, vocals), and as he can't seem to remember exactly why he used that name Shoutbus, he thought it meant something careening out of control, urgent. No one really seemed to get it that way and Billups ended up liking the idea that no one liked this name.
The year before the release of this 7'' Ep on Torque, Billups experimented his first try at recording songs as Shoutbus with his friends Charlie Post (guitar) and Andy Gale (drums), which became the 11 tracks tape “Russian Roulette”, still his favorite recording. (maybe someday on db?)
Here's what he told me about it:
"That tape meant something to me because at the time I spent a lot of time with Charlie Post, the guitar player on that tape. He was an acoustic player who wrote good folk songs I really liked. We were into the Minutemen together. I was more into punk than he was. He would play things that opened my mind like King Crimson and Laurie Anderson. And of course we like The Stooges.
I didn’t know how to write a song and I was impressed that he could do it. He could write catchy songs. With the Minutemen’s non-structure as a guide and his encouragement I wrote the songs on that tape not worrying about structure, not worrying if I had a clear chorus or whatever. The songs were almost entirely stream of consciousness. Charlie and I recorded the tape with my friend Andy on drums who was sixteen at the time. He played in bands and I asked because I thought he was already such a good drummer. I had to go to his house and meet his parents because I think they were suspicious of me.
But we weren’t really a band. They were just doing me a favor. I wanted to just see if I could do it. Of course, Shoutbus ended up sounding like a cheap Minutemen knock-off, but I was very proud of it."
But we weren’t really a band. They were just doing me a favor. I wanted to just see if I could do it. Of course, Shoutbus ended up sounding like a cheap Minutemen knock-off, but I was very proud of it."
Shoutbus were obviously heavily influenced by the Minutemen (hence the cover as last track), which came off as a little old fashion, but the guy who ran the label Torque Records was very open minded about style and very keen to show that there were a bunch of bands playing around D.C. at the time with different styles. A bunch of the bands he put out were bands that played shows at Record Convergence and Smash, two stores where Billups worked.
Here's what Billups told me about that era:
"We used to go to each other’s shows. We used to play with Positive State often. They were great guys, very fun, but also serious minded. I think there was a big Born Against influence with them. I admired the singer Steve West. He was younger than me and very clever.
The Goons were also a very good band with a more punk ‘n’ roll sound. The singer of The Goons is still called Serge Goon around town. I still listen to their music. Not to make it seem more important than it was, but I liked the whole Torque crowd while it lasted. There was a variety of age and musical style and it sort of clicked. I wouldn’t like to overstate it, but for a very short time, there was sort of a scene there. Just one of those brief moments when you’re younger and bands are the most important thing in your life."
The Goons were also a very good band with a more punk ‘n’ roll sound. The singer of The Goons is still called Serge Goon around town. I still listen to their music. Not to make it seem more important than it was, but I liked the whole Torque crowd while it lasted. There was a variety of age and musical style and it sort of clicked. I wouldn’t like to overstate it, but for a very short time, there was sort of a scene there. Just one of those brief moments when you’re younger and bands are the most important thing in your life."
Check out Billups site and don't miss out forthcoming post for "Ain't That America?" LP !
Shoutbus, trio basé à Washington DC, était l'initiative musicale conçue par Billups Allen (bassiste et vocaliste) et actif de 1995 à 2000. Si Billups ne se rappelle pas exactement pourquoi il a choisi ce nom de groupe, il pensait néanmoins qu'il exprimait une urgence, une façon de zigzaguer dangereusement.
Personne ne semblait le comprendre de la sorte et Billups finit par aimer le fait que tout le monde déteste ce nom.
Personne ne semblait le comprendre de la sorte et Billups finit par aimer le fait que tout le monde déteste ce nom.
Un an avant la sortie de ce EP, il expérimenta ses premiers enregistrements avec ses potes Charlie Post (guitar) et Andy Gale (drums) qui finirent sur la cassette “Russian Roulette”.
Si vous voulez savoir ce qu'il m'a dit à ce sujet, tapez vous la citation en anglais ci-dessus!
Il est évident que Shoutbus était fortement influencé par les Minutemen (d'où la reprise en dernier morceau), et malgré le côté 'démodé' du truc en 1995, le mec qui tenait le label Torque Records était très ouvert d'esprit et désireux de montrer qu'il y avait des groupes locaux aux styles divers qui jouaient autour de Washington DC à l'époque.
Si vous voulez savoir ce que Billups m'a raconté à ce propos, tapez vous l'autre citation en anglais ci-dessus!
La couverture du disque représente l'ombre d'un homme en train de tomber, préfigurant peut-être l'état d'une Amérique de plus en plus décadente?
Allez zieuter le site de Billups en attendant le prochain post que sera celui de l'album "Ain't That America?", et bon vent.
Mais dans l'dos!
Mais dans l'dos!
Same Rip specs as usual, now integrity will show through your actions!
Unzip pass: deathburger
Direct : Link
Post a Comment