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.