Bootlegs – Page 2

March 19, 2016

Party Fears – Korindie Bootlegs #10

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=1881993558 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

Faithful Korindie readers may have noticed that Maggie Devlin, previously of Baekma and New Blue Death fame, is all up in Korindie’s mix, with her face now on three out of 10 bootleggins’. I know I’ve been accused of needless bias towards her, and so to settle the matter once and for all, here’s the reason why she’s so prevalent on the site.

I love Maggie and I want to have her children.

20160313-partyfears-16 — Maggie Devlin – “What are you on about, Doug?”

Okay, okay. This is not true. I hate kids. Like, really hate kids. But, I love her musically, and I would love to have her musical children. They’d all be half Firebird and half Korg with a hint of cowbell, and I’d sell them on craigslist.com (LIKE YOU SOLD YOUR ~~SOUL~~ FIREBIRD MAGGIE) and we’d split the profits over a feed of Mom’s Touch.

20160313-partyfears-21 — Mike McGrath (left) and Tyler Ryan (right) – Hangry for Mom’s Touch

I guess the real reason for Maggie’s prevalence would be that she has almost as many bands as Ali*, and they’re all good. Her current work, Party Fears, is a solo project that somehow involves every wayguk musician/singer in Seoul. Seriously, there’s like a million people on stage at any moment. Look at this, they barely all fit. I had to unsexily hug the pole to get this shot.**

20160313-partyfears-15 — B A Wheeler, Mike McGrath, Tyler Ryan, Maggie Devlin, Angela Schmangela, Alberto Alba – Unsexy Pole Hugging Shot

Even though Maggie alone is the driving force behind everything, watching Party Fears is like watching a familiar TV show that got retooled. Not in that desperate 6th season of Archer way, but more like a [INSERT SUCCESSFULLY RETOOLED SHOW TITLE HERE] way, where you know most the characters involved, but they’re being directed by someone else and they’re ready for more diverse hijinks. Well, okay, that’s a bad example, because everyone is playing all the same instruments they always played, but next to different people. Okay, it’s next to the same people for the next part.

Goddammit, this why I can’t have nice things. Look, Maggie brings a new sound to the table. Okay?

I’ve not done enough digression in this post, but it’s 1:38AM and my mind currently has the same texture as the ramyeon that is not sitting well in my stomach, so I’ll just end by letting you, my fellow Korindie lookilistener, should know that you can still have nice things, or at least see a good show at Boogie Woogie (formerly Kimchi Sounds) in Kyungidan, Seoul on March 26th. It’s Party Fears’ last show before Maggie ups and offs out of self-induced purgatory.

Don’t worry though, Maggie will pop up again this summer when secret things happen in secret places. Did I mention that it was secret? Look, it’s secret, okay?

Here’s a distraction. Purty lights. The editing is frantic as fuck, cause I was a little drunk while doing it, and I thought everything was AMAZING. Still like it though. DOEI from CCTB is amazing for getting all the best shots on this vid.

You’ll also be pleased to know that in this video (and on bandcamp) you can actually hear a female vocalist in Seoul for once. (Shut up, Tony. You’re the only one who claims to be able to hear them.)

*Yes, Ali, this is your new normal.

**That will NOT be in the bandfic.

***Holy crap, there’s 10 of these. I’ve never done 10 of anything in my life. I wonder if I could put this on my resume? “Successfully Made 10 Blog Posts” would be an awesome award title.

March 4, 2016

Table People – Korindie Bootlegs #9

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=849085233 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

Yes, they’re people, and they have a relationship with tables. Can we get over it already?

Actually, someone already got over it. Namely, the band, because Eric has decided that his life, career and mental wellbeing were more important than allowing me and Maggie (of Baekma, New Blue Death, and Party Fears) to thrust our pelvises every time we heard “Ride With Me.”

20160227-tablepeople-17 — Eric Davis – Vocals, Guitar

Seriously, what could be more important than our beautiful pelvic thrusting? This is why I made Eric and Ethan the centre of one vein of Baekma‘s epic slash bandfic. It’s due out in November 2017, but I can give youse a quick sample here. Don’t tell anyone okay? I want to make sure no one steals my concept. I think I could get a meet with Danielle Steele from this.

It was a cold and stormy night. Ethan was alone for the first time in what felt like forever, but he welcomed it. He welcomed the rain and wind. It felt refreshing after all he had been through. The dark on the other hand, this was becoming a problem.

A solitary headlight exploded into existence in front of him. Eric’s motorcycle. It had to be. But how did Eric know?

“About time. You’re late,” Eric said, his damp cigarette barely clinging to life. To Ethan’s shocked look he replied “You know, you never give me enough credit.”

Ethan rushed into Eric’s arms. He had made his bed, and though the sheets were blood-stained, he knew he could lie in it a few nights more, at least.

If this doesn’t get me the Pulitzer, nothing will. (Read: Nothing will.)

As far as I know, Eric and Ethan formed the band like five years (like 35 expat years) ago. Then they got all depressed and moody or something and changed their name to Table People Suck. People seemed to agree with them, so they kept that name, but people just dropped the ‘suck’ because was too suggestive/defamatory after a night at FF.

But, let’s not remember the dark times. The band is dead, but the people live on. Eric will start an art colony back in Kansas City, which apparently is not really in Kansas, but kinda is. I’ll miss the sporadic conversations we had, which always made me think about things that became significantly important later on down the road. Like the meaning of community, and how to read when a group of drunk people is likely going to be moving on. No, like really. It’s a thing that needs knowing. He’s the drunk whisperer. But, not in a creepy way.

20160228-tablepeople-21 — Eric Waddell – Vocals Guitar with Ham Jihye of Juck Juck Grunzie.

Ethan is amazing on guitar and pretty much everything pedal-wise. This is probably why he’s always in multiple bands. Except for right now. Because all his bands are dead except for Visuals, fronted by Ali Safavi, who you may know from Classy Wallet, Mountains, Colours, Platitudes, Adjectives, Shapes, Ranges, and Korindie’s personal favourite Musicians, and Jonathan Jacobson of Tierpark. I expect mediocre to great things from them in the near future. (Questionably negative reinforcement is my motivational strategy.)

20160227-tablepeople-5 — Myoung Shik – Bass

Myoung is killer on bass, and is an all-around cool dude, especially since he’s totally becoming cool with me sticking a camera in his face all the time. This is especially important to me, as I use the camera to give myself validation while being around people who make actual creative content on a regular basis. Myoung, we need to hang out more. Make a new band and let me know.

20160227-tablepeople-16 — An Seoyeong – Drums being comforted by Wynsum Foreman

Seoyeong was a bit shy in front of the camera as well at first, but I appreciate the smile I get every time I stick a camera in her face now. Take a look at this photo album for better examples. The scene above is a bit invasive, I know, but on a serious note, it captures a bit of the emotion of the night. People were sad. People were happy to be listening in the moment, and a wicked crazy 360 degree video came out of it, but people were still sad. Oh, and Seoyeong, we need to hang more. Make a new band and let me know.

I’ve only been in this community for a year or so, but I’ve met a lot of people and generally like the people I’ve met. However, as with all groups everywhere, there seems to be a culling season of sorts every few years. This is especially true with groups with a high expat population. Emotions were running a bit high that night as Table People have been around the longest out of anyone. Had.

Y’all suck for moving. (Downer ending. HA! Suck it! Go listen to their music though, it’s good. Here. Here. Maybe here.)

February 9, 2016

New Blue Death – Korindie Bootlegs #8

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=2378705750 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

So, I know what you’re thinking, but really, it’s not a slight against Windows 10. Well, I don’t think it is. Mind you, having the members of New Blue Death beat the crap out of a malfunctioning PC on stage would be pretty satisfying though. (If the band is reading this, take this as a note for your final show.)

Yes, that’s right. This week’s bootleg-ee is on the verge of breaking up and tearing a hole in what is left of my somewhat beating heart. I’m sure it’s purely out of spite, too. Look, dudes, I got 182 on my cholesterol exam. I’ll likely die of a heart attack in the next few months anyway. You’d think you could stick around at least that long. Sheesh.

But, yes, nothing we can do can stop their demise, so instead I’m going to focus on the good times I’ve had with each member. There’s a Branvanesque whole 8 of them, so settle in. (Turn on the tracks above.)

I met NBD through Maggie in mid-2014, who was then splitting her time between Baekma and NBD, who I met through Nice Legs. I met everyone through Nice Legs, but I met Maggie in a direct hand off. I think my first words to her were something along the lines of “Didn’t you just get off the stage?”

Baekma and New Blue Death did a lot of shows together back in the day to save on Maggies. Mentioning this fact became one of our four “things.” I’ll list them

1. Commenting on how many times she’s been on stage.
2. Pointing a camera at her while she pretends to have seen Donald Trump without his hair. #topical!
3. Pelvis thrusting to Table People‘s “Ride With Me.”
4. Writing erotic bandfiction about other local bands.

I regret none of these.

New Blue Death - Adam Brennan — Adam Brennan – Vocals, Guitar

I met the rest of the band soon after. Like, maybe 10 minutes after. Adam B, the leader, has the shapes and vocals of a successful cult leader. I mean, not one of those suicidey ones, but one of the ones where you get super rich and start wearing matching sweat suits all the time, but not one of those ones where everyone wears them together when they commit suicide. I’m talking zero suicides here. 0.

I feel like I’ve not conveyed a compliment correctly. It doesn’t really matter, he’s not on Facebook so he won’t read this anyway.*

New Blue Death - Adam Hickey — Adam Hickey – Bass

Adam B is not to be confused with the other Adam, Adam H. Apparently there’s a surplus. I like him because he lets me pretend I’m Newfie. I mean I’m half, and I lived there for like 8 years, but he takes things to the next level by not making me me suck on a dead cod for full legitimacy, so we’re all good.

New Blue Death - Ethan Waddell — Ethan Waddell – Guitar, Vocals

Ethan is the all-knowing guitarista, who seems to be okay with us pelvic thrusting in the crowd when he plays with Table People. He’s the dude you call out into the crowd for when your setup stops working half way through a set. Well, he’s the guy I call for, but I’m sure that’s fine. I mean I’m sure he doesn’t mind me grabbing him from his lovely fiancée and making him work on his nights off.

New Blue Death - Alberto Alba — Alberto Alba – Keyboards

Alberto is a bit strange. He has an actual job, like a good job, and yet he’s in multiple bands as well. Like, where does he get the time? Don’t people with jobs have to spend 12 hours a day in a cubicle or something? It’s kinda funny, but I didn’t know he had a Spanish accent until I’d known him for 6 months or so. Everyone sounds the same when you’re screaming in a live hall. We met at a recording studio once, and I was like, “Holy shit, you have a Spanish accent!” It was amusing.

Finally, there’s Chris. He’s the drummer. The only photo I have of him, and he’s wearing a Dolly Parton wig. Sorry dude, I spent more time with the Clavicle and Eilis and had time to get photos. ㅠㅠ I have failed you.

Yeah, so, they’re dead on Feb 13th. I mean, the band is… Look, I’m sure they’re not joining some suicide pact. (See above). The final show is on the 13th.

One day before Valentine’s Day seems fitting some how, ya fucking bastards.

See youse around?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czUTmFMivwI]

*Hah! You read it!

December 26, 2015

eeeho – Korindie Bootlegs #7

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=3845650172 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

Moonshine is a wonderful, welcoming establishment that still feels like a friend’s apartment. It’s a place to sit, relax, get a drink, grab some grub, to get a tattoo. All the good things, all the good things. It also has a red-orange disco ball. Mesmerizing.

Most likely due to it’s aforementioned eclecticity, took a only few minutes to convert its second floor balcony into it’s new form as an impromptu stage for the evening’s acts which consisted of TC Costello, the ranting accordionsmith, Henry Demos, the man with the gams, and eeeho, who I had not yet met. (Foreshadowing. I met her. She’s nice.)

It was one of those nights that started out with everyone being quiet and introspective, where we were all secretly wishing it was raining. Oh, and that there was a fireplace, and everyone was in wooly sweaters. Maybe it was just me. The privileged 10 or so people there found a comfortable chair and relaxed, staring at each other an smiling verse to verse, talking with eeeho and each other between songs. It was oddly comforting, like the 50s, but for everyone.

Look. It’s Christmas, and I’m just off a turkey coma, from having actual turkey on Christmas for the first time since I moved to Asia, or maybe last year, and I’m listening to 50s baby boomer Christmas songs.

I may be a somewhat unreliable narrator at this point, but let me say that you and I should hang at Moonshine sometime, or maybe an eeeho show. You’ll see the good. And you know I ain’t steered you wrong yet.

Unfortunately though, my recorder, being used to live shows with excessive amplification, slightly underperformed for this session, but with headphones, in a quiet room with a fireplace, maybe while it’s raining outside, I think you can capture the mood decently enough.

I’m going to turn this on and let it help me sleep off this turkey.

December 9, 2015

Pentasonic – Korindie Bootlegs #6

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=2899052676 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

So, last week or so I’m at the Thunderhorse, a place I’ve been to on a few occasions, and yet I wouldn’t necessarily say that I was familiar with. For those of you not familiar with Seoul (I’ve heard some of you still exist), it’s the still living/breathing manifestation of some time-honoured tradition that I haven’t fully been initiated into yet. Yeah, I’m pulling shit out of my ass, but they’re awesome, and you should go see more of what they’re up to over at Daehanmindecline,

But, in a not-pulling-shit-out-of-my-ass sort of way, I brought up a good point. Good work, me. Even though Korindie has been hob-knobling with the upper-to-under crust of the reportedly small Korean indie scene, it’s been mostly the in the Hongdae/Sangsu areas, and not in Itaewon, the other driving force for indie music in the city. Itaewon is mostly known for clubbing, but there is a vibrant hip hop scene, some jazz and some rock as well, from what I can find out through the grapevine.

Seriously though. Yo, Itaewon, how do I get up in you? Where’s all this Freedom I’ve been hearing about?

What? Don’t look at me like that. We all know where you’ve been. Sigh. Look, I didn’t mean it. Just let me in, baby.

At this opportune moment, I’d like to mention our newest bootlegees, Pentasonic, who have only four members for some reason. They were playing after the headliner, Maggie Crossett (go buy her new album), which is a tough sell for a lot of bands. Everyone is tired, half the people are getting ready to leave, or are passed out on the floor/stage somewhere. You really need to have some high energy to keep people going.

Dudes got the energy you need. Put that in a way that doesn’t sound creepy. Does it sound creepier now? Fuck.

Seriously though, high energy is what they guys have. I don’t write about music, despite having a site dedicated to music, but I can honestly say that they knew how to keep a crowd happy at the end of the night, which is no minor skill. With the personal embarrassment aside of having a music site without knowing anything about music, I’d like to get to what’s really important, the idea of wearing a Star Wars shirt while singing a song about Star Trek. Just look below.

I really want to talk about this. Not only does the Star Wars shirt match his guitar (check above to confirm), which gets him like 10 points right there, he sings about Star Trek, like two weeks before the release of Episode 7, just to get all the hardcore Star Wars fans riled up proper. That’s gotta 10 extra points like right there. Risking your life, but no pain no gain, my friends.

If you’re reading this on unencrypted wi-fi you may notice some angry nerds around you. Don’t panic. Just be calm, listen to Pentasonic as you cover yourself in their innards, and then walk slowly among them to safety.

Alex Hodges - Drums — Alex Hodges – Drums

So are you convinced yet? Give another listen to the bootlegs, and then go buy their studio album. You’ll thank me later, unless you’re a Star Wars/Trek fan, in which case, the correct answer is Red Dwarf, and you can all get bent.

Edit: Here’s a video from the night!

November 8, 2015

Vidulgi OoyoO – Korindie Bootlegs #5

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=2268993403 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

Henry (of Demos fame) was rushing me through the door. I don’t remember which door, but that’s not the point. The point is that Henry doesn’t rush unless it’s for chicken wings or there’s super cool tricked out van sliding down the road.

I don’t think he ever got the strangers-with-candy talk.

이종석 - Guitar, Vocals — 이종석 (Lee Jongseok) – Guitar and Vocals

“Look, we can’t be late. They don’t play that often, and I need to see them,” he said pushing me through the door, my laces still in the process of being fumbled with.

We were heading to Club Bbang, you know, that place with the spray painted white heart on the wall. We hung out a bit with the usual outside musicians and randoms hangers-by for which we somehow miraculously had time for before heading down and grabbing a seat.

Bbang is a sit down joint. It’s a little weird. It works though. It’s cozy.

I guess if you haven’t seen Vidulgi live, the best way to describe their presence is something along the lines of being an absolute wall of sound. Like, you’re sitting in the crowd, and you’ve been forced to belly flop onto the hardest lake water in existence, while trying to keep yourself from falling down a flight of stairs, while celebrating your 18th (21st if you’re American) birthday with actual friends.

Actually, Sanghoon and Jongseok once stopped me from falling down a flight of stairs. I was busy emphatically describing how they were like a wall of sound, when I almost fell back down the stairs to some basement club I can never remember the name of, but I want to say Smokies? Or maybe something with a Q? I think it had a yellow sign with black text, that made me feel like New York in the 70s. (Yes, the whole city.)

(Baekmaites, it was the place where you partied after the album release that time, remember? Little help?)

Dudes didn’t hesitate and caught me on the precipice of camerical destruction, pulled me up and brushed me off. Solid dudes. So solid. I appreciate still having my kidneys (and my lens) every day.

Right, carrying on. The show. My mind was blown in an entirely non-Upworthy way. I’d never really heard anything shoegazey or proggy live before. Eye-opening. So much sound from so little. Every note is perfect. The only way to experience it though is to get right up to the front and attack the beast head on. It takes a lot of intricate timing and pedicular madness that’s really interesting to see.

Lost — 한예솔 (Han Yesol) – Guitar and Vocals

So good. Give this a lookilisten when you done with the tracks above.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp__9pkzN_g]

So good.

Oh, and the wall of sound thing is real. I could actually feel the inner pieces of my ear moving during one set. I had severe tinnitus for three days. Ear plugs at Daiso, 1000 won for six are a life saver.

October 26, 2015

Say Sue Me – Korindie Bootlegs #4

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=2833095211 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

I first met Say Sue Me by the pool table in the Basement Pub. The roof was really low, and it was filled with a mix Busan’s seemingly taller than average foreign community, and, well, an unusable pool table. Say Sue Me were chilling on top/to the side of it, having a few too many drinks for having released an album last year called “We’ve Sobered Up”. I pushed through the lanks of b-ballian proportions to slap hands. Jelly from Angle administered the proceedings, and I became cool to to get up in their honest-to-godly* untoxicated faces.

Jelly’s a lot like me. He tells me he always tells people how they can expand. Sometimes, I suspect he’s even relevant (jk). Not so much that night (nk).**

Sumi told me to make her look pretty, looked at my camera, took a sip, and laughed. It was one of those well played lines that was a joke and a jab to everyone in the conversation at the same time.

Respect.

Skillz — 최수미 (Choi Sumi) – Vocals and Guitar

They went on first. I lodged the audio recorder in the ceiling and got ready.

They sounded good. I don’t write about music, so just listen to it yourself and then apply some words what with you were thinking and then put it in the comments for all to see. I can tell you this though, the crowd was way into them, and I felt like I wanted to go surfing afterwards.

강세민 (Kang Semin) - Drums — 강세민 (Kang Semin) – Drums

I think I gotta spend more time at the beach. Anyone down for Gwangalli this summer?

*I don’t believe in that dude. Come now.

**You were off point, but you’re still awesome. Get at me if you read this. Nothing but respect (and gentle ribbing). Let’s talk about the future.

Photography Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.434831626724650.1073741945.284882188386262&type=3

Audio Source: https://korindie.bandcamp.com/album/korindie-bootlegs-4

October 9, 2015

Nice Legs – Korindie Bootlegs #3

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=4006078507 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

Peeps before sheep yo.

I have no idea what that means, but it sounded cool enough to write so I wrote it. Or rather, I typed it. Does that appease the semant prone among you? It better. Maybe I heard it while I was ambushed down-under. Maybe I made it up like a plate of creamy trollops and onions. (An east coast favourite!) While I will refrain(?) from comparing Nice Legs to a disgusting septic treatise on diabetes, I will place them within a hierarchy where they are in a position superior to our aforementioned arielistine baathren. Just baarely. Sheep go baa.

It's because it shows their essence. — Nice Legs – Lew’s Current Favourite Photo

To say the trio-recently-cum-duo of Henry, Lew, and John has been a driving force in my photography, videography and audio… phony, would be a slight understatement. They’ve put up with me shooting off right in their fucking leg-faces for the last year, for one, and they’ve also been cool with my guinea-pigging of their likenesses in my somewhat-self-driven DSLR usage, Lightroom and Photoshop lessons as well.

Just pretend I’m holding a degree that says “19 6 A obe M st r” that I printed myself on an OS/2 only dot matrix printer that only has cyan and magenta cartridges. The metaphor still stands.

Anyway, that allowance of personal space dismissal (Form 7-17B Section 6) goes a long way with me. As does Jon. Now, he’s not around as much because he’s all about hanging out in some European zoo with broodier peeps. (I’ll be bootlegging them too soon enough. Jon, I’ll be bootlegging you soon enough.) Here, in the bootlegs presented above, he’s bringing some of that energy to play in one of the ‘Legs”s darker shows. Everything is set in that rhythm and/or key where you feel really uncomfortable or sad, but you don’t know why. Or rather, I don’t know why.

This is probably why I don’t write about music.

He is this creepy in real life. jkjk (nk) — Henry Demos – Frankenbass, Drums

Henry and I go back. Not back to the new-old country back, but back enough to matter back. Straight out, we met each other when we were both in a fully realized and understood broken-ish state, and we didn’t really know where we were going. This made me want to hang out with him a lot more with him, and not other people that had their shit together.

Because that is still kinda painful.

H was way skilled at the musics, but he didn’t have anyone to really music with a lot to the extent that he would have liked to have musicked. He was experimenting with some kinky scenes rather deliberately implied… yet those that his contemporaries didn’t seem to realize existed. I don’t think this really clicked with him though. Now, he’s doing like full-on good, although I’m not going to take any more credit for that transition than I will with the next sentence for it.

I’m a therapeutic god and it’s not because he found someone who understands him nearly completely musically at all.

I first met Lew at a table when she tried to ply me with a handmade sticker that said something in fancy handwriting or typewriting that probably meant something. I refused it, due to my secret loathing for stickers, (they make me gag for some reason, but that’s a secret, so if you act on it, I’ll have to act on you), but she seemed cool with it. She had short hair with a long rattail, a memory from a time when she cared about things that didn’t matter so much right then as they did to her a short while before right then, and a cape that represented a new celerity in her choice of wardrobe that was preparing her for the next phase in her musical existence.

I told her she was awesome within the first 5 minutes, as she was running up the stairs at Yogiga to see someone about a white horse.

They’re responsible for why I annoy the crap out of any band I can find on a weekly basis, and as such you can send all hate mail to wearenicelegs@gmail.com from now until the eventual self-destruction of Google’s servers when they achieve sentience.

[youtube=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2T2jcV0BOQ”]

About them all together, in a summary type paragraph, that would normally come at the end of a post, I would have to say that they make some music, and I happen to enjoy said music. I think the time they sang Happy Birthday to me on or near my birthday would happen to be the favourite song of theirs, but it was a limited time offer and I didn’t record it.

I felt it was okay to put the camera down.

Photography Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.284884091719405.1073741828.284882188386262&type=3

Audio Source: https://korindie.bandcamp.com/album/korindie-bootlegs-3

October 7, 2015

Baekma – Korindie Bootlegs #2

Maggie describes the guitar and keyboard as her two greatest enemies.

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=2224900721 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

Just listen to this as you read. Trust me, it’s therapeutic or something.

To reiterate, I don’t like writing about music, I like writing about people Here goes.

I met Baekma about a year back when I started doing photography. They were doing a set for Chance & Dan Do Korea at the Rocky Mountain Tavern. I only knew like 3 people there, Nice Legs and Myra Pearson, and I just got my camera.

I got all up in their faces. I took some moderately good photos.

Getting Mike to sing is like pulling nails, but it's worth it. — Mike McGrath – Bass, Vocals

Let’s cut to the chase. They’re a feminist band, but their bassist is a dude. You’d think that joke would have run dry by now, but it hasn’t, much to Mike’s potential chagrin. Although he’s too English and/or male to call me on my sexism, but you still can. (Full discretion, remember? Read adjacent.) The fourth woman in Baekma (FWB) is a title that will follow him for a while, even though they’re gone now.

Which is sad. The audio below is from their final show last week. I mean their final show period, which happened to happen last week. Happy? No. No I’m not.

Steph's final show in Korea. — Steph Bankston – Keyboard, Vocals

Steph and Eilis have both decided that it’s time to move on from Korindie’s reach, and they are being/will be missed. I imagine both of them getting really old (like AT LEAST 50) and sitting out on the porch with lemonade or whatever Ozzies drink, like dingo blood (lite) or some Vegemite smoothie shit, talking to their grand kids about all the crazy shit they did on stage in Asia (vRKT-MHOMPo) and how awesome it was, but thank fuck they left when they did, because otherwise they wouldn’t have done something awesome, like destroy the Republican party or prevent the next solar flare.

Ask if women can drum or not. I dare you. — Eilis Frawley – Drums, Vocals

I think I’m going to write a comic. The strong woman is a cliché, but I’d like to reimagine that stereotype, but add depth and personality to the characters. You know, to make them like people. It’ll sell a nillion* copies.

Maggie will continue with a solo project. I bonded with her over our mutual love of pie and Taito Cheese and Onion crisps. (BTW, those are the only potato chips I will call crisps. Respect where respect is due.) Korindie will hound her until we hear something. (I’m serious, Maggie.)

Over the year I knew them, I think what impressed me most from my experience with them is the capacity to have meaning and yet have fun at the same time. This threw me at first, I saw it as an inconsistency. But then I realized it’s to keep you from going crazy.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRKT-MHOMPo]

Maybe I’ll see them in Europe next year. Or not. Probably will.

Will listen to this for now.

*nillion (n.) Equalling Zero.

That stage is fucking filthy dude. — Mike McGrath – Put on some fucking shoes, you damned hippy.

Photography Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.289143784626769.1073741836.284882188386262&type=3

Audio Source: https://korindie.bandcamp.com/album/korindie-bootlegs-2

October 7, 2015

Mountains – Korindie Bootlegs #1

[bandcamp width=350 height=350 album=1004453943 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 minimal=true]

I don’t like writing about music. Basically, genres, chord progressions and fancy gear talk (with the exception of pedals for some reason) can all get fucked. People tell me Mountains are math rock. I am still unsure as to what that means, but I brought a compass just in case I need it.

I’m going to rock that shit. I got a 91% in calculus once in the 90s, and even got some plaque and everything. I was so proud, I haven’t gone to the dentist since.

Whatever. I do like talking about people though.

Ask him about anything indie. — Ali Safavi – Bass, Vocals

I met Ali outside of Magpie, and immediately judged him based on my perception of his nationality. He didn’t friend me on Facebook for two months after this, but then we had a talk and I realized you shouldn’t judge people based on where they’re from. Oh, and then a month later he friended me. ‪#‎victory‬. Does this make me look like a racist/classist asshole? Yes. Do I care? … Yes, so very yes. But, this page is about full discretion, and I want you to know what you’re dealing with and I don’t have to be the good guy.

Ask him about being — Andrew Blad – Drums, Vocals

I met Blad outside a show, on the mean streets of Hongdae. He was a bit tipsy, but like the best type of tipsy. Like, the type of tipsy where you meet your wife or your new best friend, or how the ending of that show with Doogie Houser should have been. He’s not 14 anymore, throw the dude a bone. Seriously. Look, I’m not saying this happened between the two of us, but it probably happened to Blad and someone more important that night. It was a wee bit magical like.

Ask him about...Umm... stuff? — Stephen Hazel – Guitar, Vocals

I haven’t really talked to Stephen, but he seems like a stand-up dude. I mean he’s on stage all day and he doesn’t seem to have any knee or leg problems. He’s still young. He’ll learn eventually.

Start exercising before you’re 30 kids, or get married early.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCzQ2N-13ck]

I didn’t get Mountains when I first heard them. Ali would say it was because they weren’t very good, but that’s just because he’s a modest bastard. I first “got” “them” here at this set linked below, where Blad is, in the best muster terminology I can muster “on fucking point”. (Seriously though, don’t talk to me re music, just listen re said music.) Like, people were looking around at each other going, gaddam, how can they be this on point? Ollie will back me up on this.

I didn’t need the compass.

Photography Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.353224998218647.1073741900.284882188386262&type=3

Audio Source: https://korindie.bandcamp.com/album/korindie-bootlegs-1