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“If You Can H^jpiiotise Your Auiuence, You’re Doing A Cooit Job”
Thgfirii uHs songwritk^, success anil e?e injuries witft jASQTf PAXTOlS of THE $ATYI($
TL qyA ^ p a moment as you're cutting
I I \Z i C J an arc through the sun-
bleached wastelands of the American Southeast in
your used El Camino, when you start to see skele
tons dancing in the pools of
water on the horizon. You
never know when this
moment will occur—so many
factors (the heat, the
humidity, your susceptibility
to hallucinations) can
hasten or postpone it—that
you'll want to make sure you
have a copy of the new self-
titled record from Memphis'
Satyrs (Louisiana Red Hot/
Black Dog) on hand at all
times. The Satyrs play a
parched, haunted sort of
American Gothic balladry
that would sound equally
apt beaming from a pirate
radio station in rural
Louisiana with maybe two
listeners, wafting from
the tape deck in a satur
nine stripper's dressing
room or guiding the
movements of the afore
mentioned skeletons in your dizzy, dehydrated
head. All that's missing is the theremin, and the
quivering slide guitar in "One Philosophy" makes a
pretty damn good surrogate theremin.
A discussion with lead singer, songwriter, gui
tarist and pianist Jason Paxton revealed a man
with no resemblance to the surly, world-weary
carny I might huve expected. On the contrary,
Paxton struck me as laid-back, self-deprecating
and thoroughly likable, adding credibility to the
popular psychological theory that the best way to
relax is to find a creative outlet for one's darker
impulses.
First things first the name Satyrs is pro
nounced with a short "a." The long "a" version
"sounds almost too
Southern," according to Paxton.
Flagpole: How do you, personally—or speaking
for the group, if you feel inclined to do that—how
do you perceive The Satyrs as a band?
Jason Paxton: Definitely moody. But, you
know, I think the songs definitely have a lot of
hope in them. Music totally absorbs and hypno
tizes me. I think Beethoven said, "If you can hyp
notize your audience, you're doing a good job."
It's dark, though. There's no doubt about that
FP: Would you say it takes a lot of discipline to
play this sort of slow, dark American gothic music
you guys play?
\ JP: Not really.
Generally, when I write a
song, I lock into some
thing, and I don't want to
go anywhere. So it doesn't
take a lot of discipline to
follow it, once I'm locked
into that mood.
FP: So, when you write a
song, how much does it
change from its theoretical
origin by the time it
becomes tangible at a show
or on a record?
JP: I don't think it
changes that much. When I
play the songs, it brings
back memories—reminds me
why I wrote the songs in the
first place. Most of the time
I’ve been pretty happy with
them a year or two later.
FP: Recount for us your most horrific experience
playing a live gig with The Satyrs.
JP: We played with Macha once in Atlanta, at
the Echo Lounge. At the end of the set, I was like,
"Thanks a lot, everybody. Goodnight," and Anqie
[Horton, the drummer] throws her drumstick out
into the crowd. Nails me in the fucking face. It
was totally obvious, because I grabbed my eye
and it fucking hurt like a motherfucker. That was
really fucking embarrassing, you know; I thought
it was one of our better shows that night, and
that killed the mood. I told her to never do it
again, but she still does it She likes to do
childish stuff like that
FP: Has she got her aim a little better now?
JP: I think it's probably digressed, actually.
She did again in New Orleans. She threw it at this
one guy and hit him in the fucking head. I guess
he liked our music a lot, 'cause he grabbed the
drumstick, pjt it in his packet, and kept on
dancing.
FP: Name three records you’ve bought within
the fast five years that you've not once been sick
of.
JP: I think maybe Nick Drake's Five Leaves
Left... maybe Radiohead's OK Computer. I've never
gotten sick of that one; don't think I ever will.
Then it would be a toss-up between Entroducing
DJ Shadow and Macha.
FP: What's your definition of success?
JP: I guess doing something that you're proud
of, that you're satisfied with. Making yourself
happy. Doing the things you want to do, not nec
essarily having controL
r
Emerson Dameron
I
vJhO: The Satyrs, The Lures
WHERE: Caledonia Lounge
WHEN: Friday, July 28
HOW MUCH: $4
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Dixit Classic Fairgrounds • UVM Coliseum Complex - 2825 University Pky. Winston Salem, NC
Gates open Q 1pm on Friday, 4pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday
Tlx $19 ADV Fri. & Sat • $24 ADV Sim • 3 Day Package Tickets $60 (Includes Camping)
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□ FLAGPOLE JULY 26, 2000