In the latest installment of John Norris Interviews... our intrepid reporter ventures to the far off lands of Brooklyn to talk to the reverb-punk gals in Vivian Girls. John talks to the trio about the scarce availability of their early recordings, the facts and fictions of being in an all-gal band and much more.
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Previous installments of John Norris Interviews...
In the latest installment of John Norris Interviews ... our intrepid reporter talks to the electro-rock duo Ratatat. The group, made up of Mike Stroud and Evan Mast, talk about their recent touring, their recording set-up and their affection for analogue instruments like Mellotrons and harpsichords.
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Additional installments of John Norris Interviews...
In the latest installment of John Norris Interviews... John talks to the Brooklyn-via-Philadelphia-and-Michigan duo, High Places. Rob Barber and Mary Pearson talk about their early days, their unique recording set up and their quirky D.I.Y. electronic pop.
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Additional Installments of John Norris Interviews... [PLAY]
In the latest installment of John Norris Interviews... our fearless grand inquisitor meets up with the mysterious and enigmatic rock 'n' roller King Khan. Norris speaks to the Berlin-based artist in Brooklyn about his progression from the brilliant garage minimalism of King Khan & BBQ Show to the soul revivalism of King Khan & the Shrines (who recently released the compilation The Supreme Genius of King Khan & the Shrines), as well as the infrequency of his U.S. tour jaunts (has something to do with his tour manager being a turtle). We don't wanna spoil all the fun. Check it out for yourself.
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Additional installments of John Norris Interviews... [PLAY]
Further Reading:
King Khan Finally Brings His Live Show Stateside [MTV News]
Harken yonder ear towards the Northwestern horizon, to where the teen spirit's roar has been replaced by the meditative classic strains of iron and of wine, of horses and of...foxes. Listen closely: it's the sound of a new Sub Pop-blessed vibe, and Lord knows we hear it too. Thus for this latest installment of "John Norris Interviews...," we sent our very own man with a microphone to confront Summer '08's most celebrated purveyors of the Seattle pastoral folk-pop scene, Fleet Foxes. John talks to singer-songwriter Robin Pecknold and his merry band of harmony-and-soul providers about their baby steps out of the coffee-and-Grunge capital, about their recent leap into the indie-rock limelight and their inspirations. Don't wanna hear the chatter? Fast forward to the third part of the video to check out an exclusive acoustic performance of "White Winter Hymnal."
Further Reading:
"The Most Unlikely Breakout Band of the Year" [MTV News]
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More "John Norris Interviews ..." [PLAY]
It's not that he's not Bright Eyes anymore -- it's that ... this one's different. There's a lot about Conor Oberst's new "solo" album that's out of the norm: first off, there's the label (the good people of Merge, rather than his going-steady friends at Saddle Creek), there's the musicians (the newly-honored Mystic Valley Band are here while longtime friends are nowhere in sight), and most significantly, there's the nom d'artiste. But when Conor sat down with John Norris for the latest episode of "JNI..." all was made clear. Or at least, clearer. And after you watch the interview, check out Conor Oberst's self-titled solo album; it may not be available 'til August 5th, but it's streaming exclusively on Rhapsody.
Further Listening:
Conor Oberst, "Conor Oberst" (Rhapsody Premiere)
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More "John Norris Interviews..." (PLAY)
This week, on the Days of Our John Norris Interviews ... we have the the purveyors of uptight, outta-sight wiry indie rock, Titus Andronicus. Coming straight out of Glen Rock, New Jersey, and sporting one awesome new album on their list of feats and accomplishments (that would be The Airing of Grievances), the band talks to Jon about the way their sound has changed over their three-year existence, various influences and what life is like in the Garden State. After the jump, check out our exclusive lo-fi video of TA performing two songs ("My Time Outside the Womb" and "Titus Andronicus") live in their Jersey batcave.
Continue reading "John Norris Interviews ... Titus Andronicus" »
In the above video, our intrepid reporter John Norris sits down with Anthony Gonzalez, who makes dream-like techno-pop as M83. John talks to Anthony about the influence of John Hughes' 1980s teen dramas on his new album Saturdays=Youth, French music and much more.
Further Reading:
"M83's Odes to Teenage Life" (MTV News)
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Previous installments of John Norris Interviews... (PLAY)
In his latest exclusive video interview, our intrepid reporter John Norris takes on the primitive-blues punks the Black Lips. In this clip, the band talks about their move to Vice Records, their gonzo/guerilla aesthetic and their boredom-alleviating tour bus hotline (949-TEN-SH0P, someone will pick up).
Further Viewing:
Past John Norris Interviews...[PLAY]
Black Lips Live & Unplugged [PLAY]
Episode six of John Norris Interviews … is a sit-down with a trio of potty-mouthed Frenchmen who call themselves, appropriately enough, the Teenagers. The next-phase, new-wave, dance craze that Quentin Delafon, Dorian Dumont and Michael Szpiner favor has at its core the new French sound, as perfected by the Kitsune stable from which the Teenagers emerged. But, as they tell John, its lascivious intent also has more than a hint of that most classic of all Gallic musical exports: Serge Gainsbourg. (Ummm, and a little bit of Spank Rock too, if you ask us.) So, sit back, relax and let the men with the sexy accents spin you a pop-culture-infested yarn.
