JASPER:
Me: Hey, on Monday I got a promo copy of the new Von Bondies album.
You: Did they put 20 minutes of silence on the beginning to make sure everyone has time to crowd into the same room to listen?
There’s no easier target for a cheap shot in this city than The Von Bondies. Some guy got punched. Some song became an FX theme. Some ex-members had some issues. Some prima donna demands were made. There are a TON of opinions and stories and rumors and lies that come up whenever someone mentions this band. I’m guilty of it, and I’m sure the comments will prove you are too.
One thing needs to be pointed out, though. Rarely does anyone complain about the songs. Yes, it’s pop music. It’s polished. It’s catchy. It’s…*gasp*…marketable. Their style may not be for you. That’s fair. I doubt they’re trying to compete with whatever it is you listen to anyway. But if your thing is infectious pop songs, if you secretly sing along to rock music when the windows are up and there’s no one else in the car to judge you…let me suggest stealing a copy of Love, Hate And Then There’s You. It’s what The Killers would sound like if they didn’t suck.
Truth be told, I’ve been listening to nine of these twelve songs for about a year now (don’t ask). That should say something, considering the amount of music I digest and dispose of. Outside of the opener, which is a bit too anthemic for my tastes, this is an outstanding album. The last couple times they played, I went in hopes of hearing “Earthquake,” “Blame Game” and “Only To Haunt You”. Of course, I’m not sure if they played them all last time since there was a “scheduling issue” that overshadowed the actual performance…which gave everyone more opinions, stories, rumors and lies to focus on.
And that brings us back to the beginning. Whether it’s by their own doing or there’s some strange Detroit curse, The Von Bondies can never just let the music speak for itself. In Detroit they’ll never be judged solely by the songs, and that’s a shame because this album is pretty damn great.
JRC: The Von Bondies. New full length, huh? Okay. I too, have been sitting on most of this for a year. Maybe you have been as well? There are some local releases that I get before their proper street date, based solely on friendship. “Hey here’s our new record” from them, or “Dude. Come on. You have to get me that record.” from me. Either way, I take a lot of pride in the fact that I have never been the source for a local “leak” and this Von Bondies record is no exception. I got it from a pretty unlikely source, and I kept it quiet. This full release though, this is official. What this means to me is that if I have it, you have it. I’m as far down on the food chain as everyone else with national releases… you couldn’t tell, though, from the amount of times Real Detroit or The Metro Times have asked my assistance in providing them with a new release. That’s not important right now.
Jasper already told you that it was good. It is. It’s really good. Again, by now you should have it. You tell me what you think. He also pointed out that the band was an absolute goldmine for the rumor mill… so what I want to know is a legal question, sort of.
Once upon a time I was informed rather randomly that the reason this record was taking so long to come out was that a portion of the writing on the record wasn’t done by The Von Bondies, but rather label “ghostwriters”? My inbox release of this record came with a scan of the promo disc.. which clearly gives writing credit to Jason Stollsteimer and Don Blum. So, is there any way that if someone else “ghostwrites” on your record that you can claim full writing credit? I would hope the answer to be no, and that this is at least one rumor we can put to bed. Someone call Howard Hertz, then call me back.
The Von Bondies - “Earthquake”
[audio:http://www.fivethreedialtone.com/eatthiscity/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/11-earthquake.mp3]
exciting.
jason played me most of songs off the record one night in his car when i interviewed him. i liked what i heard. it sounded grandoise and ambitious and passionate and rock and pop and stuff. i look forward to getting my special press copy soon.
You forgot to to put “interviewed” in quotes.
you forget to register with a real “server”
I heard this album was recorded in MSPAINT.EXE
Jonathan just made me LOL.
the thing about them being a killers that dont suck..can you really say that if the killers were from detroit,you wouldnt be all over them?
The Killers are a boy band in hipster drag. I’ve been over this a million times. I’m not going to re-hash it.
Just because someone is from Detroit doesn’t mean I’m all over them. Just ask Kid Rock, ICP, Eminem, uh…The Verve Pipe…eh..Sponge…who else is from Detroit and successful?
Here’s the problem and its not the stuff I heard that the one dude did to the other guy or said about that girl or no brown m&ms, or interpersonal violence etc.
The premise of the band has always appeared to me to be a kind of incendiary pop, no mess rock that doesn’t have time for solos and extraneous bullshit. Its not the Ramones or the White Stripes, but the parallels aren’t wildly out-a-whack. The band can stand still but the music can’t.
They gave us the come on and we said, okay yup we’re listening.
They tour, they put in effort, they record some more songs. A for effort.
They delay release of said songs but we all hear them and some are pretty good, they play some shows in the home town but what I saw already felt tired and we wait, and there’s a release date…. and this helpful reminder that a lot of that stuff you have filed away was pretty good.
Duly noted.
The problem is incendiary goes out after a while unless you continually renew it, or you’ve written the 25 song, 28 minute Ramone’s set and if so, chances are you’re dead.
I’m just not feeling
it
any
m
o
r
e.
I’m so sleepy, I’m thirsty.
the killers aren’t good looking enough to be a boy band.
and actually, jason gave props to them during our “interview.”
something about how they worked their asses off from las vegas (which probably has no scene compared to detroit) but that people give them flack for making it big, when they worked hard. it took what, a year and a half for “hot fuss” to catch on? i like the killers on album. they suck live (at least from when i saw them at the fox). nothing original. but pop done well.
I saw them live in Las Vegas years ago. I lasted maybe five songs, but the crowd they drew was mostly strippers from what I could tell. So they at least had that going for them.
“A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other content which are officially credited to another person”
They cracked the code now if they’d send me that correspondence course they promised.
So I can write a song for a band, and for a price they can pretend they wrote it? Never having to give credit anywhere?
So really, these bands complaining about me stealing music are insane, because they didn’t write it anyway.
Another question to think about, who is Sasha Fierce?
Same musings, bright new package! And you guys even used the Detroit skyline image from Google image search that every blog in the city uses. Hell, you can even get that skyline etched onto a mirror or votive candle courtesy of Citybird. Ah, creativity…ain’t it grand? Really though, the site looks good.
don’t forget about the blood splatter
you should call this eatthisshitty. who’s your webserver a pocket calculator?
By pressing down a special key, it plays a little melody
there was an article in Spin I think, a few years back about ghostwriting. and people like Butch Walker(whom I believe helped out with this album) and the guy from fountains of wayne. I think the fountains of wayne guy said that sometimes he WANTS his name left off,so he can get paid but not have it affect his credibility or something.
also supposedly prince ghostwrote the “you got the right one baby UH HUH” pepsi jingle and was paid millions.
” … no mess rock that doesn’t have time for solos” - uh …have you seen a live bondie show? more like “gratuitous guitar wanking”! best blues band in town!
whoa wait a second. the verve pipe is from detroit?!
I’m guessing mr. anonymous up there is non other then Matt from the nice device. He quotes himself from his own myspace page.
-suzy
the verve pipe are from grand rapids I believe.
Jesus, Jasper did you have to go and mention The Verve Pipe???? Actually the Vere Pipe are from Lansing, but they grew up in Holland and formed in Kalamazoo. However, RCA made them say Lansing for the college grunge kids cool tip. The Verve Pipe are playing St. Andrew’s on Nov. 28th. Want to go?
“Von Bondies are the best band your friend who lives in another state never heard of.”
See, that’s why that crazy “ghost” part prefaces the “writer” part in that compound word.
Yes, you can contract to do almost anything (almost). Writing music and getting paid, whether up front in a buy out or continually through royalty payments from the credited writer, is perfectly legit and happens all the time. What bubble have you been living in?
yeah your melody is that sweet jam called dogshit times two.
agree on all your points. I’ve only heard snippets of this new stuff(not in the right club yet) and it ain’t what I would call catchy, But in pointing out more of the obvious, it’s also fair to say that Jason brings so much of this drama on himself through his blatant lies and phonyness, being something he just can’t help and that unfortunately translates to their live show, which for the number of times I have seen them, is categorically underwhelming. Honestly, I don’t get the bored look and fake posturing. I sure don’t ever think that this is a “working” band, on any level. If they were a real working band, maybe a Killers level of success could have happened for them by now.
Listening to these songs for a year now? That certainly does say something….certainly does.
Verve Poop is totally from G-Rap.
huh
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