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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 2012)
Street roots May 25, 2012 JOURNEYMAN, from page 10 sense. But I really only changed a word or two. Later I went to read up on the flood to see if I was just making a mockery of the whole thing. It turns out that whatever I had imagined was pretty much what had happened. It was almost a true story that I feel like I was channeling because I didn t really know the story before I wrote it down. S.Z.: A t the CD release party for “Tales o f the Left Coast Roasters” last June, you had all sorts o f media options for your fans, everything from digital download codes printed on compostable cards with wildflower seeds in them to old-school, vinyl albums. What are your thoughts about the direction that music distribution is heading? L.L.: I understand the need for it all. I am impressed by the convenience for people summarize that story for someone to just download music, but I who hasn’t heard Vanport 1948? myself am a fan of vinyl. I like records. I still feel the sound L.L.: There was a housing There Is a ease to be made of analog music is far community of big public works superior to that of digital where, realistically, the whole project, it was called Vanport music. I was just on tour with concept of "cleaning up music" my band in Alaska and the and it was in North Portland. It was called Vanport because of heavily Is not real anymore» drummer had his iPod. I was Vancouver and Portland. And it thankful to have 10,000 songs This Is coming from someone was a housing project set up whose main way to interact with to listen to, so I’m totally primarily for workers in the down with that. And I music Is through live Kaiser shipyards who had all understand the convenience moved to the area to aid the performance. ... The more of not having an entire wall of war effort. And because of their successful albums for me are EPs like I have at my house working on the war effort, there (laughs). the ones where yon can actually was a very relaxed policy along But at the same time, the hear the room around the race lines. It was an integrated part that I really am less community which was people." comfortable with about the incredibly rare for Portland, whole switch is the fact that then - and to a degree, now. the concept of an album, the There were a lot of lower- concept of a folio of songs as income African American and a collection, is now going by white folks living there and it was built on really low- the wayside because, as things become more lying land near the Columbia River. And at one point convenient and people become more addicted to technology, if people hear a song they like, they’ll just one of the dykes burst and flooded the entire area and go download that one song. Which is fine, but it also displaced thousands of people. Because of certain race deprives the artist of the full income of selling a full policies at that time in Portland, the displaced African album. To record and put music down for posterity, it all American people were not allowed to move anywhere takes money. Most musicians out there are not making into Portland except into very specific areas. There tons of money. Even truly famous bands are not always were only certain places that it was acceptable for a making huge bank. Also, many times I buy a record black person to live in those times. It put a lot of strain because I like that “one song” and fifteen listens later, - there was a lot of influx - into an area that was my favorite song is some other song on the record. I’m already fairly crowded. disappointed that (the loss of the album) seems to be Vanport was interesting to me because it was very an inevitable thing. much like the Katrina situation in New Orleans in that • ■ • as late as like a couple of hours before the dam burst, S.Z.: Digital music is so much “cleaner” from an audio people were worrying, waters were rising, and they had perspective. Why produce vinyl albums? actually sent flyers around on all of the houses telling people not to panic, that everything was just fine and L.L.: It may indeed be more clean. But life is not there was no need to move to higher ground. And by clean. You could make a million cases for all sorts of three o’clock that afternoon, people were on the roofs things. There is a case to be made where, realistically, of their houses. The places were all hastily built — all the whole concept of “cleaning up music” heavily is not these apartment buildings — it was far from an ideal real anymore. This is coming from someone whose community. But it had been so hastily built that there main way to interact with music is through live weren’t proper foundations on a lot of the places so performance. So, it’s not like hearing an acoustic guitar when the water started rushing in, entire apartment mic’ed up perfectly so that you don’t hear any finger buildings would sort of lift off and then float over and squeaks on it as you play — that’s not natural to me then smash into another apartment building. It was because I want to hear an acoustic guitar the way it terrible. sounds. The more successful albums for me are the ones where you can actually hear the room around the S.Z.: Does “Vanport 1948” have relevance in Portland people. S.Z.: Can you quickly Maple and Bacon Doughnut By Michael Vance They controlled me My whole life — Faces, memories, bottles, Complexes, paranoias, bongs, Fears, shape, regrets, dope I just got used to it. Called it “my truth” And made it my home. I cried to God with all my fury, “Take this from me Just like back in the days when your word Was still being recorded For the Holy Book, Send them into a Herd of pigs Screaming, flailing, biting And foaming at the mouth So they can run Possessed, over the edge of a steep and Jagged cliff and die Over and over again forever Amen.” Sleeping In Wind By Kareem Ali He pulls the darkness down D o w n to w h e r e th e sta r s Reach his eyes Only because The pigeons will collect The cans that revolve Around his feet By morning He drinks his beer From a fountain And panhandles for sun Before the cement changes its mind. today? L.L.: Definitely. Portland is still like an incredibly white-bred city. It’s an incredibly sort of segregated city in its own way. I’m from New Mexico, which is pretty diverse in that it was white, Latino and Native American cultures all living together. But they have been assimilating each other for hundreds of years. I can t speak to what it’s like compared to a city like Chicago or Washington, D.C. Portland seems to pride itself on this sort of grooviness that they’ve got and how hip it is. A lot of this has been built on a horrible bed of inequality and terrible practices against people of color. So a story like “Vanport 1948” is still good for people to hear. People who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. S.Z.: What advice do have you for musicians trying to break into the Portland music scene? L.L.: Keep your nose to the grindstone and focus primarily on just doing your music — making your music good. Satisfy yourself first and foremost with your music and with your art. Secondary to that would be getting it to the people. Because if your art, your music, is fantastic, then it will help you go a long way if you are comfortable with your art. Just concentrate on making your own music and satisfying yourself. Beyond that, go out and see a lot of shows, socially integrate yourself into places. Show an interest in other people’s music, be a part of the community. It’s important that the community supports itself. Street Roots is a proud partner with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest and Amerieorps. JESUIT Strange Love By Michone Nettles When vows are made, not to be broken Makes you wonder were the I do’s true spoken The link is real The link is true Wishing only it’s true for both of you! When my days gone by and years proceed So sad when things don’t heed! Breaking true love seems unheard of So let it go of its own true love! North South East West Keep love close true spoken from the mouth. Keep it close and cherish it Don’t lose pride Keep living life Don’t miss a stride.
