30 PLANET OF THE ARTS / FEBRUARY - MARCH 1996 Ann Magnus In | was in Seattle last weekend, sitting in a Th e E UV Sh OW room watching T.V. at (Geffen Records) the Marco Polo Motel, located along the scenic Aurora Highway, flipping through the channels when | came across this really weird program about game shows around the world, with lots of naked women and sleazy sex- ual antics. These shows were pretty strange. There was one from Italy with women playing soccer topless, and another from Germany where contestants got bonus points if they performed a striptease. When the credits came up | wasn't surprised to see that Ann Magnuson was the narrator. It seems that Ann just can't stayaway from SEX, SEX and more SEX. Not that her latest work, The Luv Show is totally con- cerned with sex, but it definitely has its adult content in "Sex with the Devil", "Miss Pussy Pants” and "Waterbeds of Hollywood.” This CD plays like a modern day rock opera, the likes of which have not been seen since the Who stopped doing their thing. The songs are bold, tight, and brassy. If you liked her in Bongwater, you'll learn to love The Luv Show, although it may take a few listens to appreciate the true genius behind this collection of music. “® by Attila Horvath Photo: Dana Dansereau & Aaron McConomy Trey: Some of the MR. BUNGLE COMES TO TOWN 4 So when Mr. Bungle comes to town, most of the audience is there to see the lead singer, mostly fans of "his other band". Most of the audience at the Commodore on Dec. 13 probably hadn't even heard the band's second release, Disco Volante. Nor would they have had a clue who John Zorn was or know he performed on and pro- duced their first, self-titled, release. To loosen up my intervie- wees and find out how they operate autonomously and anonymously, | brought a small Lego set with me. | got to speak with Bar (pronounced like bear"), Theo, and Trey Spruance before the show. | didn't speak with "him". So, it's been four years since your last release. What's been going on _in that time? What were you aim- ing to do differently here? Theo: In the past four years we've been essentially non-existent. Bar: Nothing high profile. | don't have enough talent to swing with the illustri- ous John Zorn. songs on our last aloum were like two years old when we recorded them. That might account for some dif- ference as opposed to this one. Bar: | think our demos for this album sounded better, actually. The final product sounded lame. We got better results in Mike's studio with a shitty mic. It was a big let down to come to such a nice studio. What about John Zorn? Theo: He didn't think we needed his help on this one. Bar: It took a lot of pressure off not having him there. | think this new one's better because it didn't turn into a John Zorn album. But my first impression was that it actually sounded more like a John Zorn thing that your first aloum. Bar: Oh, Christ. Theo: Well, there is this huge influ- ence that's undeniable. He was actu- ally only present for the final mixing. We recorded it. And he only played sax on My Ass is On Fire. How much studio time did you spend on this one? Simon Fraser Gallery, Simon Fraser University Hours: Monday 12pm to 6pm. Tuesday-Friday 10am to 4pm The Bartlett Exhibition and Performance Space, 330-611 Alexander Street Hours: Monday - Friday 12pm to 50m Bar: | dunno, ask Mike. You could look over the bills. Theo: We did get to turn a few dials and tweak a few knobs. We each got to do more mixing. Did you get to play with neat stuff? Trey: Two of our songs had these two 2" tape machines, 48 tracks... we maxed out 80 tracks at one point. There's no...obvious sampling or turntables on this release. Did you get sued or something? Bar: Well, we had to change the title of Travolta to “quote unquote”. His lawyers did give us a call, but | heard he actually liked it. Trey: We got sued by these guys from Philadelphia for using some fart sounds they recorded (the sequence before Squeeze Me Macaroni). They sued us for $3000, but it’s Colonel Sanders’ voice you're hearing. You would have thought KFC or David Lynch would sue us. Listening to Disco Volante, | can't imag- ine this possible to play live. Trey: | hope | don't ruin it for you in saying that 95% of it is planned. To keep track, you have to know what's going to happen. Theo: It's not as difficult as you might think. It’s like learning to drive in Boston. We actually don't leave much room for improvisation. What' the scari- est thing that's happened at one of your shows? Bar: In New Orleans someone had their leg - their knee torn apart...by a barrier. Got it cut in one-| don't know if that's scary, but it's bad. Theo: In Tempe, AZ | was blowing flames and my head caught on fire. Trey: In D.C. we had people hanging Visual Art Student Show from these huge speakers that looked like they weigh a ton, they were just suspended from the ceil- ing...over the audience, and it started to come loose, but it didn't fall. If you could be any Muppet, who would you be? Trey: | can't remember any muppets. There must have been some interest- ing ones... Theo: | think | identify with Gonzo. _ Bar: ....Emmet Otter.....You know those old guys in the balcony? Trey: Sam the Eagle. One of your members attracts a huge portion of your fan base. Does this bother you? Bar: I'm more than happy to cash in on his fame. Trey: We wouldn't have gotten signed by Warner if it wasn't for him. Anyway we can be heard is OK by me. There's a strong presence of foreign musical styles and language here. Have you been travelling? Bar: Theo and | still haven't left North America. Trey: One of our members, Mike...he gets around. He met his girlfriend, who's Italian, while he was in Europe with his band. Trey, can you tell us about your brief tenure with Faith No More this year? Well, their guitarist left. They wanted someone new to record their album. We worked on it, but what was — mapped out for the album turned out really lame. They knew | was going to quit before we even finished record- ing it, | just couldn't follow on that — with a tour. No hard feel- ings though. What do your families think of your music? Theo: My mom likes this one. She didn't like the one : before. Bar: Yeah, the pornographic content's gone. | never got any...uh, feedback...from my family. Trey: My family's really into it, you gotta remember our first demo [Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny] was death metal. Do you like cake & candy? Bar: | like cake, sometimes. Theo: I'm not into sweets really. What's the worst thing that could happen to Mr. Bungle? Theo: We could get really popular. Bar: That's kind of cliché. We could end up hanging on to something that isn't there anymore-God, that sounds cliché. Theo: Our rights could be bought out by Michael Jackson. <@, ~ CHRIS NASH 30 reaver or me ARTS | FEBRUARY - ARO! 1996 Ann Magnus in ssn seate ast The Luv Show wsrmatnains ‘oom watching TY. at the Marco Poo Matel, (Geffen Records) eset eens scenic Aurora Highway, ppng through the channels when | came across ths realy weit program about game shows ‘round the wodd, with lots of naked women and sleazy Sex- Ual ans These shows were prety strange. There was one from tay with women playing soccer topless and another from Germany where contestants got bonus pons if they performed a striptease, When the credits came up | wasn't Surprised to see that Ann Magnuson was thenatator.t Seems that Ann just cat tayaway rom SEX, SEX and more SEX Not that ht latest work, The Luv Shows totally con- ered with sex, bt it definitely has is adult content in “Sex wth the Desi, “Mis Pussy Pants” and "Waterbed of Haliwood” Tis CD pay ikea moder day rock opera, the likes of which have not been seen since the Who stopped doin their thing. The songs ae bol, tight, and brassy. you lke hein Bongwater, youl ean to love The Lu Show, ‘though it may take afew listens to appreciate the tue ‘ens behing this collection of music.“ by Atila Howth MR. BUNGLE COMES TO TOWN ‘So when Mr. Bungle comes to town, most ofthe audience is there to se the lead singer, mosty fans of "his other band” Most of the ‘audience atthe Commodore on Dec. 13 probably hadn't even heard the band’s second release, Disco Volante Nor would they have had a clue who John Zor was ‘or know he performed on and pro- duced their fst, self-titled, release. To loosen up my intense ‘wees and find out how they operate ‘autonomously and anonymously, | brought a small Lego set with me. 1 {got to speak with Bir (pronounced lke "bear, Theo, and Trey Spruance before the show. 1 didn't speak with “hrm t's been four years since your last release. What's been going on that time? What were you aim- ing todo differently here? Theo: Inthe past four yeas we've been essentially non-existent. Bar: Nothing high profile. I don't have enough talent to swing with the ilustri- us John Zorn. Trey: Some ofthe Songs on our last album ere ike two years old winen we recorded them. That might account for some dif- ference as opposed to this one. Bar| think our demos for this album sounded beter, actually. The final product sounded lame. We got better results in Mike's studo witha shitty mie. It was a big let down to come to such a nice studio, What about John Zorn? Theo: He didn't think we needed his help on this one Bar It took alt of pressure off not hhavng him there. I think this new ‘one's better because it dnt turn into @ John Zorn album, But my first impression was tat it actually sounded more like a John Zom thing that your fst album Bar: Oh, Crist. Theo: Well, there is this huge influ cence that’s undeniable. He was actu- ally only present fr the final mixing, We recorded it. And he only played saxon My ASs is On Fire. How much studio time did you spend on this one? Simon Fraser Gallery, Simon Fraser University Hours: Monday 12pm to 6pm. Tuesday-Friday 10am to 4pm The Bartlett Exhibition and Performance Space, 330-611 Alexander Street Hours: Monday - Friday 12pm to 5pm €3 Bar: dunno, ask Mike. You could look over the bills. ‘Theo: We did get to turn a few dials and tweak 2 few knobs. We each got todo more mixing. Did you get to play with neat stuff? Trey: Two of our songs had these two 2" tape machines, 48 tracks. we ‘maxed out 80 tracks at one point. ‘There's no..obvious sampling or turntables on this release. Did you ‘get sued or something? Bar: Wel, we had to change the ttle ‘of Travolta to “quote unquote”. His lawyers did give usa cal, but | heard he actually liked Trey: We got sued by these gus from Philadelphia for using some fart sounds they recorded (the sequence before Squeeze Me Macaroni. They sued us or $3000, but its Colonel Sanders’ voice you're hearing, You ould have thought KFC ‘or David Lynch would LUstening to Disco Volante, | can't imag- ine this possible to play live. Trey: hope | dont ruin itfor you in saying that 95% of tis planned, To kep tack, you have to know wit’ going to happen ‘Theo: It's not as difficult as you ‘might think It’ lke learning to drive in Boston, We actually don't eave ‘much room for improvisation, What’ the seari- est thing that’s happened at one of your shows? Bar: In New Orleans someone had ther leg - thelr knee torn apart.by a bares. Got it cut in one-t don't know if that’s scary, but its ba. Theo: In Tempe, ‘AZ was blowing flames and my head caught on fire. Trey: In D.C. we had people hanging Visual Art Student Show from these huge speakers that looked lke they weigh a ton, they were just suspended from the cel- ingove the audience, and it started to come loose, butt dt fal, If you could be any Muppet, who would you be? Trey: I cart remember any muppets, ‘There must have been some interest- ing ones... Theo: | think | identify with Gonzo Bar: Emmet Otter...You know those ‘ld guys inthe balcony? Trey: Sam the Eagle. (One of your members attracts a hhuge portion of your fan base. Does this bother you? Bar: m more than happy to cash in on his fame. “Trey: We wouldn't have goten signed by Warmer fit wasnt for him. “Anyway we can be heard is OK by ‘There's a strong presence of foreign ‘musical styles and language here. Have you been travelling? Bar: Theo and Iti haven't let North America Trey: One of our members, Mikehe ‘gets around, He met his giriend, ‘who's Italian, wile he was in Europe with his band. Trey, can you tel us about your brief tenure with Faith No More this year? Wel ther guitarist eft. They wanted ‘someone new to record thei album, ‘We worked oni, but what was ‘mapped out forthe aloum turned out realy lame, They knew | Was going to uit before we even finished record- ing it just couldn't follow on that with 2 tour. No hard fee ings though. What do your families think of your music? Theo: My mom likes this one, She didn't ke the one before Bar: Yeah, the pornographic conten’s gone. I never got any..uh, feedback. from my fail Trey: My familys really into it, you gotta remember our fist demo [Raging Wrath of the Easter Sunny] was death metal Do you like cake & candy? {long pause). Bar I like cake, sometimes. Theo: Im not into sweets realy. What's the worst thing that could happen to Mr. Bungle? Theo: We could get really popular. Bar: That's kindof cliché. We could nd up hanging on to something that isnt there anymore-God, that sounds che ‘Teo: Our rights could be bought out by Michal Jackson. se, = CHRIS NASH