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So goes the frantic, characteristically syn
copated aside from The Dead Milkmen's 1988
classic "Punk Rock Girl." The Philadelphia-
born act formed in 1983, released eight
albums, then split in 1995, thus embark
ing on a long hiatus that left a void in the
punk world. The 2004 suicide of bassist Dave
Schulthise compelled the remaining members
to play two memorial concerts that same year,
with proceeds from the concert donated to
mental health organizations. In 2008, The
Dead Milkmen fully re-formed with standby
members Joe Genaro (vocals/guitar), Rodney
Linderman (vocals/keyboard) and Dean
Sabatino (drums/vocals), adding Dan Stevens
on bass.
Humor has always been the band's foremost
tone, but the songs often have something
more than a joke to tell. "I know we have to
be careful that people don't take us at face
value. Otherwise, they'd think we were rac
ists," says Genaro, with a laugh. "I guess,
since we're funny, it makes [the message]
more palatable. Humor gets people's atten
tion, gets them to relax and hear new ideas.
Plus, it's just healthy to have that attitude
rather than an angry 'nothing's solvable' kind
of attitude."
Earlier this year, The Dead Milkmen
released The King in Yellow, their first studio
album since 1995. Showcasing the band's
trademark off-beat humor (they've still got it)
as well as the musical evolution that accom
panied their 13-year hiatus, The King in Yellow
utilizes irony to make social observations.
"Fauxhemia" jokingly laments the speaker's
self-perceived lack of sophistication, saying,
"and if I never get Norah Jones, there's a good
chance that I'll die alone/ Maybe if I took
the matter in hand, then I could be a smarter
man/ And enjoy the films of Wes Anderson."
With these words, the band pokes fun at high
brow pop culture and questions the phenom
ena they're "supposed to like."
"Probably, the best thing was having fun
preparing for it," says Genaro of the band's
reunion. "In the olden days, we would sit in
a room together and hash out songs." Now,
Genaro and his bandmates incorporate more
modern methods into their collaborative pro
cess. "We made a rule to start from scratch
in 2009. The difference for me was the speed
with which we could collaborate over long dis
tances, obviously because of the Internet."
So, what else is different nowadays? "We're
older. I don't think we’re worse," says Genaro.
"We play fewer shows, so every show is pretty
special to us. We won't have been playing the
same set for two weeks, so I don't think you're
going to get a tired band."
The Dead Milkmen may have relaxed their
touring schedule, but they still firmly hang
onto their punk angst and energy, making
social statements and highlighting their
enduring, literal restlessness in songs like
"Can't Relax": "I can't relax, if you tell me
to relax/ I can't sit still, so don't tell me to
sit still." Hopefully, we won't see this genre
bending, iconic band sit stilt again anytime
soon. [Kevin Craig]
Revered for their chiming guitar tones,
intensely moody songs and pulsating rhythms,
Throwing Muses have earned a loyal following
over the years. From the early days in Rhode
Island through its busiest runs as a Boston-
based act in the 1990s and beyond, the band
delivered a uniquely angular and emotive pop-
rock din that rarely veered into commercial
"alt-rock" territory. The Muses co-headline
the kick-off night of Athens PopFest at the 40
Watt Club with a late-night set that starts at
12:45 a.m.
"We'll just get up and do what we do," says
lead singer and guitarist Kristin Hersh, the
lone founding member in the current lineup.
"We always have. I really never have any idea
what's going on outside of our little circle, so
we don't base our set on the event. But to be
back with music people in a supportive college
town like Athens is like going home; playing
with the Muses is like going home. I can't
even get that excited about it because it's so
right."
Hersh formed Throwing Muses in 1983
under the name The Muses with her step
sister Tanya Donelly (guitar, vocals). In 1986
the group hooked up with prestigious British
goth/pop label 4AD and released a stunning,
shimmering, self-titled debut. Songs like "Soul
Soldier" and "Hate My Way" demonstrated
Hersh's powerful singing and the band's stac
cato rhythmic style. The slightly poppier
follow-up, 1988's House Tornado, catapulted
the band to the top of the college radio charts
and MTV's alternative playlists. Powered by
drummer David Narcizo (a timekeeper who
often dismisses the use of cymbals) and a
rotation of bassists, the band toured heavily
in the '90s, building a strong following in the
U.S. and across Europe.
Creative tensions between Hersh and
Donelly led to various splits and adjustments. .
Bassist Bernard Georges came aboard for the
band's fourth album, 1992’s dynamic Red .
Heaven. It was the band's most cranked-up, I
rock-styled collection to date. As a trio, Hersh, ■
Narcizo and Georges released the ferocious, *
power-chord-heavy University in 1995. The
disc marked the start of a rocky relationship 1
with Warner Bros, and its subsidiary label,
Sire/Reprise.
"We were on Warner Bros, for a long time,
and the audience that they attracted was the
kind that believes hype and is interested in
trends," says Hersh on their mid-'90s brush
with commercial success. "They worshiped
the demographic. It's all so evil. I didn't need .
those fans. I didn't need shows that were full
of baseball caps who just wanted to hear the •
single, who weren't going to be interested in I
the next record." i
Hersh is adamant about maintaining an *
independent sense of creative control. While
she admits to being embarrassed by some of 1
the compiomises she <nd the band made while L
working with the major-label teams, she's
quite confident in her position as an indie art
ist nowadays.
"I tried to play along a few times, and we
released a few lousy songs so that Warner
Bros, would have something to push to
radio. We knew if we didn't we wouldn't have
another record. Now, I wish we'd just let our
selves die. Why would you do it? For money?
It's not worth it. To be famous? To be famous
for sucking? That's just embarrassing. I'd
rather wait tables and be a good band in a
garage.
"I was relieved when they were weeded
out/' she adds. "The new fans didn't want
music; they wanted candy—and I don't know
how the lapel fooled people into thinking we
were candy. There was pressure from every
where to look like bimbos, play bimbo music,
to be simple and stupid... They like to turn
apples into McDonald's. I didn't want to play
CALEDONIA LOUNGE ($5)
2:00 p.m. BombsBombsBombs
2:45 p.m. Sea of Dogs
3:40 p.m. Younger Siblings
4:15 p.m. El Hollin’
10:00 p.m. Shaved Christ
11:00 p.m. Michael Guthrie Band
12:00 p.m. The Wild
1:00 a.m. Bums Like Fire
40 WATT CLUB ($12)
7:30 p.m. Sweater Girls
8:15 p.m. Bird Names
9:00 p.m. Grape Soda
9:45 p.m. Flash to Bang Time
10:30 p.m. Orca Team
11:15 p.m. Witches
12:00 a.m. Tunabunny
12:45 a.m. Throwing Muses
CALEDONIA LOUNGE ($5)
2:00 p.m. The Goons
2:45 p.m. The Cavemen Go
3:30 p.m. Cassolette *
4:15 p.m. Catnaps
5:00 p.m. Hot Pals
9:00 p.m. Supercluster
10:00 p.m. Jane Jane Pollock
11:00 p.m. The Gold Party
12:00 a.m. Night Moves Gold
1:00 a.m. Gospel Music
40 WATT CLUB ($12)
7:30 p.m. Eureka California
8:15 p.m. Holopaw
9:00 p.m. Afternoon Naps
9:45 p.m. Bunnygrunt
10:30 p.m. Sourpatch
11:15 p.m. Madeline
12:00 a.m. Oh-Ok
12:45 a.m. Bob Mould
CALEDONIA LOUNGE ($5)
2:00 p.m. Hug Abuse
that game. It's been hard at times, but we are
not a band that wants to work for anything
other than the music."
While the Muses perform only a handful
of dates from year to year, Hersh says they've
already worked up demos for more than three
dozen new songs in the studio for a forthcom
ing release. The band recently hooked back
up with 4AD and released a massive, 43-song
"best-of" collection, simply titled Anthology.
"I have a lot of respect for people who
continue to look for new music and continue
to be loyal to bands who are at least trying
not to suck instead of trying to make money,"
Hersh says. "I'm more interested in refin
ing an audience rather than expanding an
audience. I was never interested in dumbing
things down. It's sort of perfect now to be
listener-supported and to play for music fans.
It's exactly what were looking for all along."
[T. Ballard Lesemann]
2:45 p.m. Antlered Auntlord
3:30 p.m. Normandie Wilson
4:15 p.m. One Happy Island
5:00 p.m. Monnone Alone
9:00 p.m. Architecture
10:00 p.m. Rex or Regina
11:00 p.m. Gift Horse
12:00 a.m. TaterZandra
1:00 a.m. Easter Island
40 WATT CLUB ($15)
7:30 p.m. Red Pony Clock
8:15 p.m. James Husband
9:00 p.m. Casper & the Cookies
10:00 p.m. The Gerbils
11:00 p.m. Masters of the Hemisphere
12:00 a.m. The Olivia Tremor Control
THE CLASSIC CENTER ($5, free
with wristband)
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Popfober Fair Craft/
Comic/Record Show
CALEDONIA LOUNGE ($5) j
j2:00 p.m. The Fuzzlers
2:45 p.m. Marc with a C
3:30 p.m. Bastards of Fate . i
.<4:15 p.m. Joe Jack Talcum
5:00 p.m. Bows and Arrows
9:00 p.m. The Viking Progress
10:00 p.m. Ruby Kendrick
11:00 p.m. Matt Hudgins &
His Shit-Hot Country Band
12:00 a.m. Buxton
1:00 a.m. Wild Moccasins
TED’S MOST BEST (Free!)
5:30 p.m. The High Fidelics .
6:30 p.m. Los Meesfits •
40 WATT CLUB ($17)
7:30 p.m. Four Eyes
8:15 p.m. Dead Dog
9:00 p.m. Cars Can Be Blue
9:45 p.m. Fishboy
10:30 p.m. Kleenex Girl Wonder
11:15 p.m. Man or Astroman?
12:30 a.m. Dead Milkmen
Full festival wristbands are available for .
$70 at www.athenspopfest.com.
J
esthenS popfest schedule
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OCTOBER 12. 2011 FLAGPOLE COM 21
