the hanson brothers

11 Things: The Hanson Brothers

Thursday, November 27, 2008

No, not those Hanson Brothers. We're talking about the NoMeansNo side project Hanson Brothers. We caught up with the Canadian boys via e-mail during the European leg of their tour and asked them to share 11 Things about themselves. They agreed not to say no:

1. The Hanson Brothers, known for their blistering shows in venues from Yellowknife to Sudbury, have released their first live album, "It's a Living," on Wrong Records, licensed by Southern. We're not sure if it's our fourth or fifth release overall, as guitarist Tommy Hanson has a tough time with integers.

2. "It's a Living" was recorded in the lively town of Coaldale, Alberta, home to Canada's french fry cartel and a notable stop on the arm-rasslin' circuit. Paul "Biceps" McGee was a notable member of the crowd the night the show was preserved on tape.

3. Originally, the band contacted the Rolling Stones regarding use of its mobile live unit, but upon hearing the cost, Johnny Hanson exclaimed, "Egads!" Plan B was hastily enacted an hour before the show, and noted sound engineer Blair Calibaba (known for his role in developing the "ripped-jeans-in-bum fashion statement" in the glam metal scene in Regina, Saskatchewan) armed eight punters [punks] with handheld tape-recording devices. The eight tracks were later mixed down in the band's dismal railroad apartment in Cold Lake, Alberta.

4. Because of probation restrictions, bassist Robbie Hanson was unable to travel on tour. Being crafty and resourceful, he played his bass every night over a Mickey Mouse telephone and thus his signature booming musical underbelly was not missed. Neither was his peculiar body odor.

5. There is no truth to the dirty rotten rumors about singer Johnny Hanson and that potato.

6. Drummer Ernie Hanson got a crayon stuck in his nose and was last seen dodging freight train traffic near Edmonton.

7. New drummer Mikey Hanson is an avid Hello Kitty collector and will not perform unless his Hello Kitty Drum Stool is pointing due north. Fortunately, tour manager Adam Slack (a known cat juggler) equips all Hanson Brothers material with GPS trackers.

8. Tommy Hanson rarely gets lolcats.

9. No, Robbie Hanson is not older than Lemmy Kilmister.

10. The Bay Area should be honored that the Hanson Brothers chose a tour this late in the season, as they usually track the migration of caribou this time of year.

11. The S.F. show is a bit of a homecoming for Mikey Hanson, the new drummer. He plays with Ralph Spight in the Freak Accident. Maybe Jello [Biafra] will show up. Or maybe not. Doesn't matter. We're just coming for the burritos.

The Hanson Brothers play with Triclops and the Bar Feeders. 8 p.m. Sun. $14-$16. Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell St., San Francisco. (415) 885-0750. www.nomeanswhatever.com.

- Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/27/NSAS14B1KD.DTL

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

gratitude ingratitude

11 Things: Gratitude Ingratitude

Thursday, November 20, 2008

1. Literature: "Maybe the only thing worse than having to give gratitude constantly is having to accept it."

- William Faulkner

Maybe the only thing worse is having to figure out which is worse.

2. Philosophy: "There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life - reciprocity."

- Confucius

There is another word that finished a very close second: pants.

3. Kids: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

- Dr. Seuss

And even then, things may remain a bit sketchy.

4. Politics: "We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."

- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

We can begin by reminding them that there won't be any Social Security, insurance or retirement when they get older.

5. Art: "The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude."

- Friedrich Nietzsche

The essence of all beautiful understanding, all great understanding, is found in another quote.

6. Society: "The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention."

- Oscar Wilde

Except on eBay.

7. Music: "When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."

- Willie Nelson

When the IRS stopped counting, things turned around even more.

8. Economics: "It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference."

- Tom Brokaw

It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to hold on to it.

9. Journalism: "Thanks to my solid academic training, today I can write hundreds of words on virtually any topic without possessing a shred of information, which is how I got a good job in journalism."

- Dave Barry

Thanks to our solid Internet connections, we can thank Dave Barry.

10. Food: "I feel a very unusual sensation - if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude."

- Benjamin Disraeli

Trust me. It's both.

11. Life: "Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

- Dale Carnegie


And the day before yesterday? We'll let you know - the day after tomorrow.

- Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/20/NSMT1465OV.DTL

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

the legendary pink dots

11 Things: The Legendary Pink Dots

Thursday, November 13, 2008

On the eve of the Legendary Pink Dots' two shows in San Francisco, we asked founding member Edward Ka-Spel to share 11 Things that stand out most about the band's 28-year evolution.

1. Exotic machines: The biggest thing has been the Internet. When we first started, we considered fax machines to be exotic; now I can chat away with friends on the other side of the planet and not have a six-figure phone bill. Of course, it isn't all good. People don't buy music as much as they used to, which is very hard for small bands like the Dots.

2. Disappearing borders: One of our best shows in recent years was Moscow. The crowd loved the music (mostly distributed through pirate CDs). Such a show would've been unthinkable in, say, 1986. We now play (and thrive) in all corners of Central and Eastern Europe and are generally treated better there than in places closer to home.

3. Cherished formats: So much great music is still being made. ... It's just sad that we need to search for it harder these days as the record shops I always cherished are becoming fewer.

4. Turning tables: I have to smile at how turntables are being made again. It's been great to see so many titles lovingly reproduced on vinyl. Big business failed to snuff it out, and I say amen to that.

5. Tolerated ignorance: The 2000s have been a time of intolerance and ignorance on a global level. Too many preachers, too many sheep, too many rules.

6. Ignoring intolerance: Now there's a wonderful new president of the United States of America and many of us who'd secretly like to see him be president of the world. Can we stop being scared now?

7. Related relations: Saddest moment in the past 28 years was the death of second guitar player Bob Pistoor back in 1991. A lovely, gentle man and the finest musician we ever had.

8. Elated elations: Happiest moment is harder to pin down, there have been many. ... Maybe that 1995 show in Mexico City when cEvin Key and Ryan Moore played drums and people came from everywhere. ... Still, I have felt elated very often just this year.

9. Regenerated regenerations: I used to fear drying up, exhausting everything there was to say, exhausting all combinations of notes we found pleasing. I'm happy to say I still feel as though we hardly started yet.

10. Generated generations: Survival. We had a choice back in '88. ... Do we go on after four members left or do we end it there? The discussion with Phil (the Silverman) lasted maybe a minute.

11. And look at us now: The Legendary Pink Dots play Cafe Du Nord with Big City Orchestra. 9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. $17-$20 (21 and older). 2170 Market St. (415) 861-5016. www.cafedunord.com.

- Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/13/NS8O141K8B.DTL

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

overused phrases

11 Things: Overused Phrases

Thursday, November 6, 2008

1. No question about it
Actually, there is a question about it and it's a very good question and isn't this why we're discussing it in the first place?

But I digress.

2. But I digress
Also mental laziness. It's as if you're saying, "I've entered this conversation, I've looked around, and frankly, I'm not all that impressed."

May I leave now?

3. Now or never
How about next week? Is that no longer an option? You neurotic freaks ...

Seize another day!

4.___ is the new ___
Pink, black, green, Thursday, Friday, Saturday ... San Francisco has a tendency to follow trends as much as Los Angeles, despite recent trends indicating that people who don't follow trends live in San Francisco. So what have we learned?

Anti-trend is the new trend.

5. Going green
A polite way of saying, "We're going to market ourselves as green, claim a boatload of environmental bonus points and get back to whatever it was we were doing before ...

Going green."

6. On the same page
What? Are we all sitting around in a gigantic bed reading books together? Nobody sits around and reads books anymore. Come on!

Get with the program!

7. Get with the program
See above. Change books to programs. Nobody watches programs anymore! Come on!

Think outside the box!

8. Think outside the box
Not a good idea! Trust me on this. The minute you do, they'll want you back in the box, and once you're back in the box, nobody can hear you.

Take right now, for instance.

9. Free with admission
Not only are you still being charged, but they've subconsciously made you believe you aren't being charged. Brilliant - and annoying!

Are we on the same page?

10. If I had my druthers
Translation: If I had my "I'd rathers." Actually, if I had my "I'd rathers," I'd rather leave this one out. If I had my druthers, I'd rather be free to use the word ...

druthers.

11. Unanswered questions
A bit like saying cheese quesadilla. "Queso" means cheese. Question means we're looking for an answer, so my favorite unanswered question would have to be "What kind of quesadilla would you like?"

No question about it.

- Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/06/NS3O13T5G7.DTL

This article appeared on page G - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle