RTX - Transmaniacon drops tomorrow - who's psyched???

thanks sean! i'm on my way...

anyway, has anyone heard this album yet?

retailer = commercial outlet for artist

therefore:

poor retailer = poor artist

maybe one day when someone wants to donate money to your art project you can call them a fascist and slash karate chops into the air and draw hexagons into your forehead with an exacto knife. yes you.

but the fact that they put a high mark-up on a broken street date and then employ their PR guy to post it no less than 2x on ILM is enough to represent (to me) the end of P2P sharing. go back to scotland.

California rules, doesn't it?

i hope not

-Walter Becker

What a great thread.

LA Weekly feature on Ms. Herrema no one here could be bothered to point out:

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/04/42/music-chamberlin.php

Neil is aging very well, but Jennifer - good lord! Hard to believe she's only 32???!!! It's sad, I tells ya.

(you're not the only one.)

And, if this song is any indication, that guitar player really sucks. Maybe the skeptics need to hear more of this guy's playing in order to start getting excited about the umpteenth Neil Hagerty release.

I bought the LP and haven't had a chance to listen to it, with my turntables packed up in boxes. The only CDs I have unpacked to listen to for the next few days are Body Language, 6 Ft Deep by Gravediggaz, Favourite Colours by the Sadies, and Daily Operation by Gang Starr.

Please.

Also, I thought Hanoi Rocks really nailed the idea of turning NY Dolls-style rock into a machine or structure where the instruments play more the role of components and parts almost as if scores were meticulously written for each instrument. The songs sound like they have movements which is in contrast to the so-called wild party loose Stones-feel that a band like Hanoi Rocks is supposed to be. Some of the intertwining double guitar solos are truly twisted. The obviously influenced the way Slash and Izzy played totally different solos at the same time. Royal Trux took this concept even further with Sweet Sixteen and Accelerator, I think. On the surface, Sweet Sixteen sounds like a boogie/southern-fried rock album, but it is actually some modern digital prog-boogie classical-rock concept album packed with tons of information. It is totally composed, sculpted and crafted. Not a loose note to be found. Tons of sounds hidden beneath the surface. It is actually quite lush. Sometimes I think people find Royal Trux boring because it intially sounds like rock. So, they are expecting it to groove and hit the gut like early Grand Funk or Cactus but it is actually more like some cross between Hanoi and Allmans. (Of course, it si so much more.) And these are all qualities that I thought Herrema brought to Royal Trux. I dunno. I like her. I'm glad she sounds happy in the LA Weekly article. Fuck the bullshit smack jokes. Her side of the break-up story is just as valid as Hag's. (I dig 'em both.) Her dad died for fuck's sake. Then again, I own a t-shirt that says "Fly Connor Fly" in reference to Clapton's kid taking a nose dive. Oh well. We pick our fights.

Maybe playing-wise and arrangement-wise. Songwriting-wise, I'm not so sure. I think their songwriting was starting to get a little hack on Sweet Sixteen (even a few moments on Thank You).

No Doctors and Royal Trux. Thanks for the compliment on the description. I am in the same boat as you. I have heard a few No Doctors' releases now, and I have not been too movedlike the way I was when I heard my first Royal Trux record. But, they are still young, and they show signs of growth. Then again, I listen to Royal Trux with the same amount of passion, heart, soul, love and attention as the Band, Dead, Dylan and Love. (Yes, I love even love the Dead! And Hag does, too.) Needless to say, any band is going to struggle living up to Royal Trux comparisons.

Hanoi Rocks: I suggest the first record. I like it the best and if you like the sutff we are talking about then definitely buy it and listen to it over and over the way you would listen to some dense baroque pop record or something. At first, do not play it as party music or drinking music, just listen. Then begin incorporating it into your party regmen after all those sounds have been uploaded to the noggin. The drugs and partying destroyed that band. On the other hand, how many good records can a band like Hanoi Rocks really produce, right?

I agree about Sweet Sixteen, (except that I like Thank You better - it's my all time favorite album after After the Goldrush) and about them getting better and better.

I'm really excited to hear this new one.

I think the key Allman Bros. records are Fillmore Live, the self-titled debut and Eat a Peach. Duane seemed to be the heart, soul and musical director. He was a phenomenal guitarist who in the 60s played on a ton of 60s soul and r&b records- great guitarist. Duane and Peter Green are two of my all-time faves. Another cool record is the Duane & Greg album. It is a collection of southern-fried psych-soul that they recorded when they were teenagers (pre-Allmans). It has some great tunes and some filler.

Now, mind you, this is heavy bearded jam band material. I do hear Duane in Neil, epsecially post-Herrema, but this is really another deep-south rock beast all together. On the other hand, this is NOT Molly Hatchet or 38 Special. These guys really had vision early on fusing the freer aspects of jazz to southern blues. I really dig it. I don't always listen to it, and most of my friends hate it. Oh well. I find it works best as a kind of trance-music. Don't sit their waiting for 'em to explode into full-throttled psych fuzz free-folk freakery and knock your skull about. You will be dissapointed. Just give it some time to get moving, and it will begin to bend, sway, ripples, flow, and wander like the stream they photographed themselves naked in for the first record.

And this should answer the question, I do smoke weed. HOWEVER, I will take a certain record, say Sweet Sixteen, and listen to it in all kinds of states and moods: weed, booze, sober, walking with headphones, sad, sober, coke, background music while working and so on. The more perspectives the better.

Hey, another thought, Herrema's decision to use "RTX" fucks me up because I used to write "RTX" instead of "Royal Trux". Now I have to use both "RTX" and "Royal Trux". Do you think this was intended?

Man, I could talk to you all day about Thank You. That record, something about it...and the songs no one mentions - like "Sewers of Mars" - are totally my favorites. The "Look at it again it hasn't moved" line, where Neil sounds so un-Neil like, but so soulful, so INTO it.

Man I've been trying to steal their harmony style for years but it's really quite unique - most of the time, they're not harmonies at all, just octaves. Those voices, together...man. It's rock and roll to me, man, that's IT! That's what i think of when I think of rock and roll. Neil and Jennifer. I think of "Stop."

I'm glad at least someone else can relate

how come those Pink Hearts Society tapes haven't made it onto Soulseek yet?

As a side note, I just casually threw on an old Bardo Ponmd 10" from a few years ago, and Isobell totally sounds like jennifer on it - it's fucking awesome

I think my response to amateur!st's idea of RTX as butt-rock affect but with songs whose structure denies rock catharsis is that of course that's true for lots of their stuff, but what's genuinely bewildering to me is how absolutely on-the-mark rock'n'roll-effective albums like Thank You and Sweet Sixteen ARE, at least to me - and how I don't understand why they wouldn't necessarily work that way for scores of other bedroom rockers! I was dancing around and air-guitaring to Sweet Sixteen right off the bat, and I had basically no exposure to Royal Trux before that... When the music makes me do that, I'm certainly not respond to anything "difficult" in there (of course, it's kinda "complex," but only in a way that makes it gnarly and gives it bite and power)... I don't see why any fan of '60s/'70s guitar rock wouldn't flip over those two albums, at least!

Of course, it's not like too many people ever got a chance to hear them.

(Thanks for the Allman info, Justin!)

RE:
"butt-rock affect but with songs whose structure denies rock catharsis"

Y'know, what Hag is tuning into, it seems to me, is the early 70s hard rock before FM radio reduced hard rock to all big riffage and stock moves. (which I do LOVE. Don't get me wrong.) The original hard rock, like Hag, has more to do with craft and lyricism. It does not matter how loud you listen to it because it's about the musicianship, arranging and the tunes. I am thinking of the first two Humble Pie LPs, Free's debut Fire and Water, Green-era Fleetwood Mac. These were the bands making great lyrical hard rock on the cusp of mod, psych, blues, folk and full-blown 70s arena-rock. These are the transition records that embody the best of the 60s AND 70s.

Definitely check out those first two Humble Pie records. Three lead voices, two guitars, hard rock with great songwriting. Hag, to me, sounds a little like Frampton on these records especially on "Plays that Good Time RNR..." LP (I forget the exact title.)

However, James Gang's "Rides Again" is pretty fucking sweet all the way through. I wish I could have seen them (all three!) live. Their "In Concert" record sounds like an event that I would dig.

Ten Years After- I have a soft spot for Alvin Lee. He just does not stop soloing! I fell for them when I saw the Woodstock movie in high school. I love their moody version of "Hear Me Calling". Shades of Peter Green in that one.

Spooky Tooth- These dudes are all over the map, aren't they? They are like the Status Quo in the sense that they cover every conceivable sound from '66-'76: psych boogie, power balladry, etc. What would be a good record to get besides "Ceremony"?

I recently picked-up Quicksilver Messenger Service's Happy Trails LP: full-blown SF extended Fillmore jamming. This has really really grown on me. The rhythm section is hot and comes up with some fairly original ideas, more than just playing the standard Bo Diddley rhythm for 20 minutes.

I'm just checking this out for the first time (been outta town) and i like it a lot. Even the song the dude sings. It's gonna take a few listens to fully absorb but so far, good stuff

Jennifer: 'Transmaniacon' is a title that could end up meaning a lot of things and it has meant things in the past, but I thought it was time to take my shot at it. If you want to know the meaning then you should buy the record, look at the artwork, and listen to the album at least five times a day at full volume for a month or two.

Unpeeled: I love split skull artwork on the cover. It looks like Heavy Metal record. How did you decide on artwork?

Jennifer: Well the cover was something a friend of mine sent me....Fergadelic.....he's a fucking amazing artist and we had been talking a while about doing something together. He sent me the "Butter Fly Skullz" and I knew it was the cover. Nadav and I had talked a lot about the record and the artwork when we first started working together and we knew that the cover had to be a very clear representation of something that rocks.

Unpeeled: How did you hook up with Jaimo and Nadav?

Jennifer: I met Nadav on a photo shoot, and things went from there. Nadav brought Jaimo out to my house in Virginia and we spent a week listening to rock radio...driving around the countryside. After that, it was all business as usual.

Unpeeled: Did it seem a bit strange making this record with Neil in the studio?

Jennifer: Well it was pretty weird, just knowing that he was watching everything I was doing....although it didn't bother Jaimo at all. No no...just kidding...i don't understand the question...Neil has his own studio, and wasn't spending time in mine during the record.

Unpeeled: Production-wise, the new album has a very digital sound,
especially all the vocal effects. What inspired this new approach?

Jennifer: Nadav and I wanted to do something a little different with my vocals. We really wanted to enjoy the same shit that a lot of analog oriented people wish didn't exist....I think as producers we were more interested with competing with Mutt Lang or maybe some real radio stuff like Nelly or something.

Unpeeled: Your band mates (Jaimo and Nadav) are a bit younger than you. Did you give them any musical direction or point them towards a certain sound or approach to music making that they might not have known about or considered?

Jennifer: I'm sure I pointed them in a lot of directions, but I would have done that either way....they could be twice my age and they would still be pushed in a certain direction or off a cliff. Jaimo is pure guitar, so in that sense I could really enjoy letting him go here and there, believe me it's a rare thing to find these days. Nadav was easily pushed and he considered everything I suggested and if we weren't in agreement, he liked that challenge...it made him work that much harder.

Unpeeled: I really like the track that Jaimo sings on the new album. Will he be doing more singing in the future?

Jennifer: Actually, thats Nadav's song...he sings a lot of backup on the record as well. He didn't want 'Is Red' on the record, but I forced the issue. I think he probably will be doing some more singing down the line. I love his voice...he's a great singer, that's really what got him into production.

Unpeeled: The song "Shockwave Rider" was redone on the new album
as "Joint Chief." Neil once said that "Shockwave Rider" was just an attempt to mimic a style like Beck's and demonstrate how simple that approach was. How do you feel about samples and why did you choose this song in particular to redo?

Jennifer: Samples are great when they're used right....to me it's a no brainer...i don't like to limit my self, that being said--"Joint Chief" is a major rock contender, where as "Shockwave Rider" was a stoned jive...they're different songs. I had been humming the verse riff for the remake of "Shockwave Rider" for sometime, and it was Jaimo who finally translated it into a reality....cool.

Unpeeled: When is the new record going to be released in the UK? Are Domino records likely to be involved?

Jennifer: The record lands on the 21st of October, and Drag City has gone worldwide, so they'll be putting it out there too.

Unpeeled: On the upcoming US tour, what will be the instrumentation
(guitar,drums,vox)?

Jennifer: Two guitars, bass, drums, and some fat fucking vocals.

Unpeeled: Do you have any definite plans to play some shows in the UK?

Jennifer: Yes, I believe we do in around January.

Unpeeled: Old Royal Trux live performances were always characterized by a loose structure, allowing for improvisation. Will RTX have a similar live approach?

Jennifer: Yes and no, I want to rip in and out....that's the only structure I'm applying.

Unpeeled: What do you make of Neils solo stuff?

Jennifer: It's an amazing thing, that someone can be so good and so prolific. I love anything he does.

Unpeeled: Do you think you might ever produce music with Neil again?

Jennifer: I have no clue.

Unpeeled: Do you feel any kinship with artists such as the Brian Jonestown Massacre or Bobby Conn who reinterpret Classic Rock?

Jennifer: Not really, I'm not in the heady business of reinterpretation, I feel much closer to someone like Petey Pablo...or something.

Unpeeled: Royal Trux always had more soul in their music than other white indie rock acts. Why do you think the soulful aspects of rock music today are largely ignored and/or derided by white indie rock acts?

Jennifer: Maybe because "indie rock" sucks ass.

Unpeeled: How did you feel when Rolling Stone magazine gave "Sweet
16" a square rating and no star?

Jennifer: I felt great, it's really quite invigorating to be misunderstood by a magazine like that.

Unpeeled: What role did drugs play in the production of the early Royal Trux records? Also, early live performances?

Jennifer: They were obviously around, but I don't think I ever gave them a role in making music with me....that was Neil's job.

Unpeeled: A couple Royal Trux songs were used by Pussy Galore? What are your thoughts on Pussy Galore?

Jennifer: I really don't think about them at all, it was just another step up the ladder....you know.

Unpeeled: Haven't you played with Royal Trux without Neil in Japan before? If so, what was that like?

Jennifer: It's was really fun to find a guitar player and give him a crash course in our songs. Japan is something everyone should indulge in....every so often.

Unpeeled: What do you think of Neil's statement regarding Royal Trux as to concerned with "propaganda parodies?"

Jennifer: Neil makes a lot of statements, that's what I like about him.

Unpeeled: A lot of critics and industry people believe that Royal Trux
will be highly regarded as one of the most influential bands of the 90s. Do you see an impact from the Trux in popular garage bands today such as the Kills, the Fiery Furnaces, or even the White Stripes?

Jennifer: Of course, it's unavoidable....maybe I should get paid for my contribution.

Unpeeled: The deal with Virgin came in the wake of Nirvana and the grunge scene. What do you make of the whole grunge scene and was there anything you liked about it or bands you identified with?

Jennifer: It's fine, and it lead to a great record deal for me. I liked the fact that there was a lot of money floating around music at that time. Nirvana never really struck me as being anything interesting....just slick pop writing. I wasn't focused on "grunge" at the time, and certainly not by this point....but I'm always interested in popular radio.

Unpeeled: I heard you were busy putting together archive footage for a Royal Trux DVD. How’s that coming along and what’s likely to be on it?

Jennifer: It's coming along slowly, but I think it's the least I could do for the Royal Trux. At this point I'm less sure about what's likely to be on it, or when it's going to be ready. Hopefully it will have some good directer commentary tracks or something...you know.

Unpeeled: Where are you living right now and what’s your local music like?

Jennifer: I don't know about my local music....I stay near the beach in Southern California and that's it. I don't think the local music thing is going too well out here, although I had no local music out in Virginia, it was total isolation.

Unpeeled: Have you written any more songs or made any plans yet for next record yet?

Jennifer: Oh yes, we've made plans for the next record. All I can say is, that it will most likely be something made of two discs, and it will land sooner than you might think.

Unpeeled: Thanks for your time Jennifer.

It's "One Nation Under A Groove" by Funkadelic.

I finally bought this album yesterday; first side's okay, but I looooove the second side ("Speed to Roam" until end for those with the CD version).

or maybe host it on a website for a few minutes?

thanks man!

some interesting points here...

Just saw the show here in Mpls, it was pretty good I thought, despite
a super low turnout, a bunch of people who were there to see the
opening local band play their fugazi/slint/sheer boredom rock left
after they were done. The band was feeling bad, Jennifer stopped the
beginning of one song to say "ok, just chill out. take a deep
breath". They sounded better after that too. It was all songs off
Transmaniacon, except for one song I didn't recognize.

The funniest part was after two songs Jennifer looked at the set list
and was like "Sandy? What the fuck is Sandy?" It turned out to be
one of the opening band's set list. Later in the show I yelled "play
Sandy!", because I am a smartass.

http://s3.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=887B2EACB9A442585FF343F7B5E9A6C9

Sometimes I wonder if it's all still conceived as some kind of rock music career satire.

http://dragcity.com/images/spl_hag.jpg

Unpeeled: Royal Trux always had more soul in their music than other white indie rock acts. Why do you think the soulful aspects of rock music today are largely ignored and/or derided by white indie rock acts?
Jennifer: Maybe because "indie rock" sucks ass.

answers to 3 questions from italian magazine.........

1) Why did you choose to name your new band “RTX”? Doesn’t it reminds too much to Royal Trux? Was that your aim?

uuuhh well....it is my band & i was 1/2 of royal trux sooo....yeah maybe it might remind you of royal trux...i took the letters RTX and gave neil the OYALU.

I decided this morning that it sounds like a band of punk/metal kids playing along with a CD of Poison or Def Leppard or G'n'R in their garage, and mostly you can hear the kids rocking out but sometimes in the background you can hear the CD too.

Ummm, yeah, sort of! Checking the myspace page I see that they're peddling a dvd-r of some Royal Trux 1995 promo thing.

Also, check out some nutty fan art in the pics section here:
http://profile.myspace.com/herremafanlove

listened to this album on the way home from work today, first time in a while ... still love this shit. some of my favorite rock production.

YES!

hi john, i met you, right?

Maggie's birthday party...yep, that was me!

Fucking love this album. I'll have to dig it out for the drive down to Urbana this weekend. Always loved the cover too...

Man I wish I had been at old Mags' birhday bash to bro down with the Transmaniacon dudes

The cupcakes were amaaazing...

Aren't they always, though?

Guess you had to be there.