From: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org (idealcopy-digest) To: idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Subject: idealcopy-digest V6 #202 Reply-To: idealcopy@smoe.org Sender: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-idealcopy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk idealcopy-digest Friday, July 11 2003 Volume 06 : Number 202 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [idealcopy] OT: Hope of the States ["Keith Astbury" ] [idealcopy] oh, no. not a mullet!? [Ed Special Subject: Re: [idealcopy] OT: Hope of the States > Mr Knight informed all > >> Mr Lumbard and I were present at the marvellous Polyphonic Spree party > >> at Cambridge Corn Exchange on Thursday > > Mrs Lumbard would like to point out that she, and Mrs Knight were also in > attendance. Does the T-shirt fit? Aplogies if I've sent this before, but as the PS were getting a bit of a mention here (and nepotism begins at home!), I thought I would enclose the interview my son did with Tim De last year for Manchester Uni mag. Keith (proud dad!) The Polyphonic Spree: a happy clappy cult ready to slowly steal our souls or a bunch of weirdoes taking too many `happy' pills? Their rise to critical acclaim has been sudden and their image is unforgettable. Comprising of 24 Texans dressed in long white sermonesque robes, they certainly stand out, especially when compared to the latest crop of garage bands who look like they have raided their punk garb from the back of their dad's wardrobe. They defy current trends, yet are trendy; they epitomise cool, not only in appearance, but in the whole musical package. They were are what music needed; a spark of beautiful originality. Where did the name The Polyphonic Spree come from? "I wanted a name that encapsulated our sound and I'm pleased with it; we ARE the Polyphonic Spree and that is our sound, that is us." The polyphonic spree formed 2 years ago in Dallas, Texas and after playing at David Bowie's Meltdown Festival their popularity has soared. Did Tim expect to be embraced so quickly? "The reaction to us from the press over here has been the most surprising; it was totally unexpected. Just over a year ago there were members of the band who had never left Texas, never mind tour across Europe." How did the Polyphonic Spree come together? "It just sort of happened. The idea for a project like this had been in my head for some time and the impetus for us to get together was when a friend offered me a support slot for Granddaddy. I then had two weeks to pull everyone in, and so was born the Polyphonic Spree. Most of the band were people I knew or friends of people I knew. The choice rested on musical ability and whether they had the capacity to improvise." Is this improvisation carried over into the live performances? "No, we keep it tight when live. Improvisation was just to see if we could get on and inspire each other as all good musicians should. Playing live is the biggest rush, especially with so many people and when we've got a good audience I could go forever" With the band being so large is there much stress between band members? "You cant help there being some stress with so many different characters, but with being big we have kind of sub groups of friends so if someone doesn't get on with someone else they'll always have someone to talk to" So, are there any `relationships' forming within the band? "Well there's my wife and me, and I know of one other couple but I suspect there are others I don't know about as well!" So can we expect any `Spree sprogs? "Ha, well I've brought my three kids on tour with me, which although can be hard at times, I knew I just couldn't leave them behind." When will we see them dressed in white robes? You could enlist them in the band and you could have a rattle section! "(laughs) Yeah, that's not a bad idea" Where exactly did the idea of the white robes come from? "Its just so that we can have a sense of unity within the band and there are fewer distractions from things like street clothes when we play live. When we were first playing live we used projections on our robes but I think the simplicity of pure white works well." How did you find working with Jarvis Cocker on the video for `Soldier Girl'? "He's such a great guy and he had some great ideas for the video. I was really happy with the finished product." You've been compared to a cross between the Beach Boys and The Flaming Lips and called "the Partridge Family on acid." How have these bands affected The Polyphonic Sprees direction? "Yeah I like all those bands, but I like a lot of old US alt. stuff as well. I think I draw inspiration from all the music I like and it just works from there." There are three other members of the band who are from your previous band Tripping Daisy. Is the Polyphonic Spree a sort of musical continuation? "Not really. When I formed Polyphonic Spree I needed a bass and percussionists and they fitted the bill and so they were enlisted. Tripping Daisy was important to me not least because my good friend and band mate died of a drug overdose when the band was finishing and so I see the Polyphonic Spree as separate entity to that." People have talked of the Polyphonic Spree as being cult like and full of `happy clappy' Christians. How important is religion to the band? "We're not directly religious and religion isn't the reason I formed the band. I think some people mistake uplifting, spiritual music to be directly linked to religion but that's not always the case. Maybe ten years down the line we'll look back and realise that yes this was some kind of religious experience but at the moment were just happy playing and making music." So where do you draw your boundless optimism from? "Well I've always been a glass is half full kind of guy." And lastly, for someone who's never experienced the Polyphonic Spree live before, what would you tell them to expect? "A musical celebration." Exactly what we need right now, The Polyphonic Spree are the tonic for a weary world. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 19:19:39 +0100 From: "Keith Astbury" Subject: [idealcopy] Fw: Keep the Tube Open Until 3a.m. UK listee's may want to sign this (it won't accept post codes outside uk) http://www.londonbylondon.co.uk/latetube/ > > >Here is a chance to keep the Tube open until 3am on the weekends. >Something that would be a given in any other capital city. > >100,000 signatures is enough for this to be a London Mayoral >election issue and is what Red-Ken is waiting for before making it >an issue. > >50,000 have signed already. >Pass it on... ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 14:53:32 EDT From: MarkBursa@aol.com Subject: Re: [idealcopy] OT: Hope of the States Keith's lad wrote: > >>they certainly stand out, especially when compared to the latest crop of > garage bands who look like they have raided their punk garb from the back of > their dad's wardrobe.<< > > Nice to see autobiographical touches creeping in to the young man's writing > ;-) > > Mark ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 15:02:17 EDT From: MarkBursa@aol.com Subject: Re: [idealcopy] Fw: Keep the Tube Open Until 3a.m. While they're at it, how about getting the 01.05 to Woking to stop at Weybridge? Mark UK listee's may want to sign this (it won't accept post codes outside uk) > > http://www.londonbylondon.co.uk/latetube/ > > > > > >Here is a chance to keep the Tube open until 3am on the weekends. > >Something that would be a given in any other capital city. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 15:47:34 -0700 (PDT) From: Ari Britt Subject: [idealcopy] ot: how much are you worth? http://www.humanforsale.com/ count me in at $1,983,870.00.........any takers? Ari SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 17:01:56 -0700 (PDT) From: Ari Britt Subject: [idealcopy] psssst what other wilco do you have? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 00:21:26 -0400 From: Ed Special Subject: [idealcopy] oh, no. not a mullet!? http://www.mulletmadness.com/mullet- news.php?id=28&PHPSESSID=85fff9db20397ce10ef43a7060f6ff4a http://www.mulletmadness.com/ ------------------------------ End of idealcopy-digest V6 #202 *******************************