Riding Shotgun With the Black Angels
The first time I saw the Black Angels was also the first time I had heard of them. They were the first opening band, and they were so good that I felt dazed when they were done. The Black Angels are a blend of the aggressive, anti-war sentiment of the 60s and sophisticated modernity. As singer Christian Bland put it (in what is probably the best description of a band I've ever read), they "walk the line between 1965 and 2065." In any event, if you haven't seen them live yet, you've got two chances, when the Black Angels open for the Black Keys at the 9:30 Club Sunday and Monday nights ($20). Read on for Mr. Bland's thoughts on wormwood (tasty!), Davis (Twilight Zone!), and the Texas Clock Tower (essential!).
Touring is:
Heaven or Hell.
Our first gig was:
May 1, 2004.
Our favorite venue to play is:
The Whitman Ranch in Gun Barrel City, Texas.
Hygiene on a tour is:
Getting better.
Our favorite thing about touring is:
Casino subculture & the desert (when we head westward).
And the least favorite:
3 day Seattle to New York adventures in the van with no sleep.
City with the best audiences:
Los Angeles & Seattle.
Band member most likely to disappear after a gig:
Jennifer.
The tour bus/van smells like:
feta cheese & Poutine.
Laundry is: a) washed regularly, b) washed
irregularly, c) we go shopping a lot:
option C (with monthly visits to the washer).
What's the most unusual item on your rider?
Everlasting Gobstoppers.
Who controls the music in the touring vehicle?
He/she who drives controls the music; it's the only fair
way, but there is democratic fade control.
And what do you like to listen to while tooling around on tour?
We love Love.
Your new favorite watering hole after being on tour?
And/or the best place to get greasy, hangover-curing food?
Poutine in Montreal is always good. We like the Jupiter in Portland & The Sniper at the Gates Inn in Wisconsin.
Most amusing memory from your current or most recent
tour?
Just last week in LA, a 5'3" angry Hollywooder tried to kick all 6 of our asses for parking in front of his house. He told us he was going to bust out our taillights on our trailer if we didn't move.
Favorite tour activity (other than the gigs themselves):
Drive through zoos, aquariums, museums, visiting civil war battlefields, and other historical sites. Sleeping too.
Are there any bands you've played with that you'd like to tour with again?
Yes, Pink Mountaintops & Spindrift.
And/or bands that you have yet to tour with that you'd like to?
BRMC, The Warlocks, Clinic, BJM, Gris Gris, Dead Meadow.
What's your favorite song (Black Angels or otherwise) to play live?
The Bataan Death March (by the Black Angels).
Please name the city you wouldn't ever play in again?
Hamilton, Ontario & Davis, California. (both cities were straight out of the Twilight Zone).
Apart from the obvious cd, what's the merch item of yours you think people should shell out for?
The 3-D poster w/ 3-D glasses included.
Have you been to the top of the Washington Monument?
Yes, it's very similar to our Texas Clock Tower.
Passover is very evocative of the mid-to-late 60s.
Do you feel more in tune musically to that period, or current music trends?
We're in tune with both, as well as the future. We walk the line between 1965 and 2065.
What would you like people to be saying about the Black Angels in 50 years?
"Those guys/gals were ahead of their time. Everyone tried to copy their style."
What's the first item of business you would recommend to a first-time visitor to Austin?
Go to the top of the Texas Clock Tower. See what Charlie saw.
Please recite a line of poetry:
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
And finally, it's BigYawn's round. What's your poison?
Baltic Absinthe w/ extra wormwood.
For current information on all things Black Angels, head to www.theblackangels.com, or www.myspace.com/theblackangels
picture by
Courtney Chavanell