You should come to my (absolutely free, though 21+) live interview with Steve Ignorant tomorrow night (April 26) at The Comet starting at 6 pm - because Crass, the band he sang vocals for, sound better and truer and more meaningful than ever in these uber-apocalyptic times. Have a listen to their greatest non-hits collection Best Before 1984, and you will hear the voices and noises of women and men beating back the darkness as hard as they could. Whether that despair be political repression, male domination, religious hypocrisy, Crass sounded like the Sex Pistols and The Clash on overdrive, in song revolutions so real you could taste the tear gas and pints that fueled them.

As keenly described in his honest and humorous autobiography The Rest Is Propaganda (scribed with Steve Pottinger), which Ignorant will be signing copies of for sale at The Comet, he was a fun-loving teenager when he began hanging out at the Dial House, a hang-out for artists helmed by Crass co-founder Penny Rimbaud. Ignorant was kicked off the dole for a bad attitude, and didn't have much hope given him growing up in a poor, violent part of England. When he saw the near-30 year old book designer and vegetarian Rimbaud living life exactly the way he wanted to, he came along, in his own fashion. Wine-soaked nights ranting about the UK going right wing, along with seeing Rotten in the Pistols on TV and Simonon of The Clash commanding mod coolness live, put these two men into a spoken word/drums duo for rants like "Do They Owe Us a Living?" and "Reality Asylum."

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The first time I heard Michael Benjamin Lerner live was in the incarnation of the band that played the 2008 Imaginary Holiday Spectacular at Chop Suey. (And no, I'm not just saying that because this is the lead to an interview for Three Imaginary Girls.) It's the only time I can recall in recent memory that the sound of a band made me stop what I was doing, leave a conversation with a legit famous person -- at the time, John Roderick -- and go into the other room to see what the haps was. Turns out, it was a little band called Telekinesis, recently on my radar due to a stellar release and some pictures I saw on the 'nets by the uber-talented Sarah Jurado. The band was catchy, tight, and infectious. Hence my love for Telekinesis was born, and "Coast of Carolina" has made an appearance on practically every mix I've made for friends looking for new music to dig on since.

Being the lucky gal I am, I was able to see that incarnation of Telekinesis again, when Michael filled in on percussion for a pseudo-Long Winters gig at the Sunset, and then played full-band later on in the night. Between living in our fair city and taking the trek out to Sasquatch! last year, I was able to catch a few more glimpses of the good that Telekinesis is capable of, all the way up to (and including) the work of his newest release, 12 Desperate Straight Lines. He'll be making his noise unto the masses again shortly as he tours behind 12DSL, and we caught up with him last week to talk about his chosen craft, what he's listening to, recording with Chris Walla, and other indoor sports.

Imaginary Victoria: Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me! Alright, Michael -- let's jump right in. What's changed the most for you since recording the last album, so far as your personal world goes? There's a spot in your press release about a change in relationship, and I'm sure you've been affected somewhat by a measure of success -- have these changes proved stimulants or challenges? There's always that "happiness writes white" trap that Sean Nelson sings about...
Michael Benjamin Lerner: Of course! Let's see... a whole heap of a lot has changed since the first record! A relationship that I was in when writing / touring off that first record ended, and that was hard and weird, and it provided a whole lot of song fodder. And, I also was dealing with a bunch of personal health issues. Ear stuff, which could never really be explained to me, which led to a series of unfortunate events, including a car accident the day before I was supposed to drive to San Fran to record with Chris Walla. The car crash prevented me from doing that, but in turn, I wrote a bunch of songs that ended up on the record in that time that I was home because of rescheduling and recovering. And now, I'm feeling better, and happier! I moved into a house with my girlfriend, and am finally not living with my parents since I started this band, which feels amazing.

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The world famous Sundance Film Festival took place in Park City, Utah last week. For the second year in a row, the festival had a satellite event where films and directors fanned out to nine US cities to screen their films on Jan 27th. Seattle was slighted/skipped last year, but got the respect we deserve in 2011 with a special screening of Cedar Rapids at the Egyptian theater. We'll be back with a review closer to the film's opening in mid-February, but I had a chance to sit down with the film's director Miguel Arteta ahead of Thursday night's screening.

Arteta kicked off his directing career with Star Maps in 1997, followed by Chuck & Buck in 2000. He's done a diverse number of TV shows and most recently (before Cedar Rapids) directed Youth in Revolt. The following interview does contain some mild spoilers. Miguel arrived in Seattle via Sundance where Cedar Rapids Premiered on Jan 23d. We talked about his Sundance experiences, this film, Jimmy Stewart smoking crack cocaine, and about why everyone should see the new documentary out of Sundance dealing with the wider than you'd expect legacy of Harry Belafonte.

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{Crispin Glover is screening his films What is it? and It is Fine! Everything is Fine at the Northwest Film Forum this weekend, 1/21-1/24. Each performance will be preceded by a slideshow.}

Crispin Glover is an actor with a flair for creating memorable characters. From Back to the Future to last year's Hot Tub Time Machine, he can make even a small role stand out. This weekend he'll be front and center at the Northwest Film Forum to screen the first two films in his "It" trilogy, What is it? and It is Fine! Everything is Fine. You get a lot of Glover's time for a not excessive amount of money ($20 each screening, or $17 each for NWFF members).

I've heard both strongly positive and negative feedback on the films. Suffice it to say, it doesn't appear to be a presentation that results in a lot of mild opinions one way or the other. I was lucky enough to have chance to virtually sit down and chat with Crispin Glover ahead of his arrival. I steered clear of anything too specific about the films, both from my own ignorance of them, and a desire to see them unimpeded by too much information. Instead, I tried to cover some background on his intent and his future plans.

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Christopher Knowles is the author of the recently published book The Secret History of Rock 'N' Roll, which ties the rock-era music scene back to mystery cults formed "since the Stone Age." Christmastime is a festive season when we party hard, glory vicariously in exciting fables, and when some of us even shove our mystified beliefs in others' faces in the broader culture. So chatting with the award-winning writer of this elucidating tome on tropes behind our rock idols seemed like a great way to chop up myth, music, and magic just at the right moment in 2010.

Knowles has been a writer and editor for some time, and his Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes is also an excellent analysis of how ancient archetypes become cheap everyday thrills. But it was his tenaciously intense engagement with a certain UK punk-into-pop band in Clash City Showdown: The Music, Meaning, and Legacy of The Clash that got me into his work. I admire his passion and fierce intelligence at dissecting culture we enjoy and use to transcend our lives habitually. Below is our chat with Mr. Knowles about all these things.

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This Sunday night at the Sunset, our favorite septet's frontman Matt Bishop will be headlining a benefit show with Carrie Biell -- and you have simply got to be there. It'll be the best ten dollars you'll spend, like, ever. Because the proceeds from the night will be going to send local humanitarianismist (and the show's opener) Loryn Kezer to Africa, where she's heading to do volunteer work in rural areas of Tanzania. Locals doing good + sweet indie-pop playing a role in helping to heal world? We were so impressed by the whole effort that we just had to know more -- so we sat the two of them down last week to talk about it.

Imaginary Victoria: So, who hatched this plan? Tell me how everything came about.

Loryn Kezer: I hatched it, with great encouragement from friends. Apparently, when one is planning a self-funded humanitarian mission, it's ridiculous not to do some fundraising. But I'm terrible at out-and-out asking for help -- so I figured I'd try to provide a little entertainment in exchange for people's dollars. Carrie and Matt are both incredible musicians and really good friends of mine who generously agreed to play the show pro bono.

IV: And when's the trip?  How much are you trying to raise?

LK: The end of March -- less than five months away! I've been pinching pennies for a year, so I'm prepared to pay my way and cover my ass while I'm in Africa. But beyond that, I'd like to be able to purchase what medical and educational supplies are needed at the places I'll be working. Bascially, I'm hoping to raise any amount of money I can. An extra fifty, hundred, five hundred bucks can (and will) go a long way.

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{Four Lions opens in Seattle on Friday, November 5th at The Varsity}

This past week I had the fortune to have an opportunity to sit down with Chris Morris, the director and co-writer of Four Lions, which makes effective comedy out of one of the most unlikely of topics - a homegrown British terrorist cell.

After some warming up discussing the media’s irrational glee in over-hyping minor meteorological events from rain in San Francisco to the thought of snow in Seattle, we jumped into discussing the film. Ranging from Spinal Tap references and how to live your dream of being a penguin through virtual reality, to spousal support of would-be terrorists and back again to the art of swallowing unusual objects - a fair amount of ground was covered that afternoon....

I loved the film.  I just had a hoot - in fact I think I annoyed some of the other press people by laughing a bit too hard.

CM: At least you weren’t laughing during United 93, like I was.

*laughing* I haven’t seen it. Though I guess I have to watch it now - now that you say that!

CM: Yeah, uh, it’s worth watching.

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Odds are, if you're here at Three Imaginary Girls poking around, you've heard of Ben Gibbard. And if you're in the greater Seattle area, you've definitely heard about the sold-out show coming up this Wednesday at the Crocodile. (And if you're like us, you might be acting half your age and figuring out just how early you have to get to the venue to secure a spot up front.) But what you may not be as familiar with is the beneficiary of the night, Teen Feed -- so, we thought we'd sit right down with their Executive Director and find out all about it for you.

Imaginary Victoria: So, let's have a little background on the who-what-and-where...

Megan Gibbard: Of course.  Teen Feed is a 7-night-a-week meal program for homeless youth ages 13 – 25.  Every single night, from 7-8pm, we serve up to 70 youth a healthy and safe meal – it very well may be the first time that day they’ve been safe.  Teen Feed is more than just this meal, however. Present at every Teen Feed meal are our Case Managers (we call them Support Coordinators) to build relationships with youth, share a meal, and help with resources and encouragement.  Our Street Talk Outreach Program (STOP) meets youth directly on the streets, in their environment, before they're even ready to ask for help.

Teen Feed works with the community to offer basic needs, build strong relationships, and ally with homeless youth as they met their future off the streets. We achieve our mission through three main initiatives: meals, outreach, and case management. It is difficult to go to school when you’re hungry. It is difficult to succeed at work when you aren’t sure where your next meal will come from. So, the food always comes first at Teen Feed – then, we get down to the business of working alongside youth as they find that path from the streets.

I recently spoke with a woman who was homeless on the Ave in the early 1990’s at the age of 13.  She said that she had a moment, a watershed, when she realized that she needed to get off the streets and start pursuing college.  Teen Feed was right there to help her when she needed it.  Teen Feed is important because all people need to be fed – and every youth on the streets needs safe adults right there with they’re ready to ask for help.

This same woman spoke in front of 150 Teen Feed volunteers recently and said:

“I look at my husband, and he’s a lot like his parents.  I look at my children, and they’re a lot like him and I. I look at myself, and I’m a lot like all of you.”

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{Art by D. Crane, The Young Fresh Fellows play July 23rd at the Tractor}

I was too young/too uncool to listen to the Young Fresh Fellows, but I got way into the Minus Five after seeing them play with the Posies at the Mural Amphitheater, when I was in high school. “The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy” was my first Minus Five CD purchase, from Tower Records by the Space Needle. Since then I have been a constant fan. Their style of mixing playful lyrics with real emotion behind them, has influenced me to write songs. To that I say….thank you Mr. McCaughey. I moved to Chicago in 2002, to teach middle school on the south side of the city as part of Teach for America. It was a rough go, but “Down With Wilco” was one of the few things (pizza, Wrigley Field, and Thai food….oh did I mention burritos?) got me through. I am on my third copy of that album, now on reissue LP.

D. Crane: Down With Wilco is a special record for me. I remember where I was when I heard “The Days of Wine and Booze” for the first time. I still buy it/recommend it to my friends. It is up there with the White album on my favorite albums of all time list. Do you have any special albums like that? Albums that you give to friends? Albums that you think are severely underrated/are as good as Beatles albums?

Scott McCaughey: Yes, I have albums like that. Whenever I'm asked, I go blank though. I try to turn people on to the Bill Fay CD of his first two albums, which coincidentally, Jeff Tweedy turned me onto the night before we went into the studio to start Down With Wilco. I also pass on copies of the first two McGuinness Flint albums -- I stockpile them (at next to nothing, as no one wants them) and then pass them on to those I think might be susceptible to their charms. (John Wesley Harding took the bait and fell hard.) Nazz Nazz by the Nazz; Armchair Boogie by Michael Hurley; Wish You Were Here by Badfinger. Everyone knows Straight Up but WYWH is also a masterpiece! In The Air by the Handsome Family.  It's tricky because you have to find stuff that people haven't heard.  And in the end, no matter how great, nothing's as good as the Beatles.  But all three Big Star albums come close.

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Seattle's own Steel Tigers Of Death punk-metal antics are endearing and inclusive where other band's attempts to merge visual comedy with musical chaos can be sloppy and shrill. They're set to open the set at Neumos on Sunday, July 25, hitting the stage (and probably splashing everywhere) around 2:15 PM.

I sent some questions to one of the guys, who gave them to two other of the guys (El Tigre and Bradley Of, for the record). That's how they roll, as some other guy once said about, um, guys and rolling. All together. Like that.

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