THe Local Artist Speaks: MIKE COYKENDALL

He comes from Kansas, but we got him now! Mike and his wife, Jill moved to Portland in 1999 after making amazing music elsewhere with such bands as the Old Joe Clarks. He has toured with M.Ward and collaborated with other world class musicians like Gillian Welch. Not only is he a talented musician, he is also a fabulous sound guy. Meet....Mike Coykendall!!!

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How long have you lived in the Portland area?
since late '99

Give us a brief history of your band/project:
well... I have a few bands/projects but my current live band for performing my own stuff is made up of friends who I like to hang out with and who also happen to be very talented players. We've gotten to know each other musically over the last 6 years or so and that can only come with time. We formed the band "The Golden Shag" around the time of my 2005 record "hello hello hello" and have been at it ever since. A couple players have come and gone but they are all still part of the family. :)

What’s the first song you ever learned to play?
Day Tripper by the Beatles but I wasn't doing it correctly for a while. I was putting an F# where the G should go. Oh well. I got there eventually.

What’s your favorite local venue to play? To see other bands?
The Doug Fir is really nice for a big rock sound. They do a good job there. I like the Aladdin for seeing a show / listening. All of them can be good if the night is right.

Speaking of other bands, who do you like on the Portland music scene?
Too many to list. Let me see... Pigeons have blown me away a few times recently. I think they are doing something quite unique.

Tell us about a recent “Only in Portland” moment you might have had.
I saw a herd of bicyclists with trailers hooked onto their bikes that were moving someone's stuff to another location. That was pretty cool.

Finish this sentence: “I cannot live without...belief?

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More info at www.mikecoykendall.com

The Local Artist Speaks: WESTER DAYWICK

Interview with Louis Panush, lead singer/guitarist


How long have you lived in the Portland area?
All three members moved from Washington (the state not the city) in the spring of 2006.

Give us a brief history of your band/project:
Trent and I have been playing music together for about ten years at this point. First in a band called The Conversation from 2000 to 2002. We then started Wester Daywick as a two piece in 2004. This was mainly due to us living in the same house and not having the energy to go beyond our driveway to find other musicians. Bobby D joined in 2005 on the condition that we were allowed to tell him what to play. He has since become musically self sufficient and is served well not to listen to us much of the time.

What’s the first song you ever learned to play?

Wester Daywick:  Trent, Louis + Bobby D

Honestly, the first song I ever learned how to play was one I wrote. Unsurprisingly then, Wester Daywick has never played a cover. Sometimes at rehearsal Trent likes to play the drum beat from "Poison" by Bell Biv Devoe, so here's hoping we work that in at some point.

What’s your favorite local venue to play? To see other bands?
Mississippi Studios is great for both playing and seeing. Recently we've enjoyed gigs at Backspace and the Ella St. Social Club. Really, if we are playing well, or I'm listening to a great band, any room with a loud PA will do.

Speaking of other bands, who do you like on the Portland music scene?
Rachel Taylor Brown, Tigress, Mark Twain Indians, Holy Tentacles, Holcombe Waller, AgesandAges, Silverhawk

Tell us about a recent “Only in Portland” moment you might have had.

• I had a thirty minute conversation with a friend regarding the importance of how jeans meet footwear.
• I engaged in an inappropriately heated discussion regarding the merits of "Portlandia."
• My head exploded when someone in their 20's told me they weren't very fond of beards, tight pants, or irony.

Finish this sentence: “I cannot live without_____”
Louis: red wine and pretension
Trent: kittens and a goatee
Bobby D: denim clothes and vinyl records

You place a framed photo of Tom Selleck surrounded by a tiki god and hula girl figurines on stage at all your shows. Why?

Here's hoping the tiki god doesn't get
angry for getting cropped out.

What do you mean, "why"? Doesn't every band do that?

• Instead of growing our own lackluster mustaches like so many other indie rockers these days, we would rather show our respect for the finest mustache to ever grace this mortal plain.
• We lost our picture of Burt Reynolds.
• We are pretty sure he is one of our dads.
• When our drummer is not indulging his mildly off putting obsession with under age cats, he is watching a Jessie Stone movie.

Connect with Wester Daywick:

• Download the album for free on BandCamp.
• Facebook
• Myspace
• Twitter
• Watch videos

Y La Bamba Live

Sometimes I feel like the worst person in the world. Like right now, for instance, as I finally get around to blogging about the fantastic Y La Bamba show that I told myself I would blog about more than a month ago. But then, when I look at the news I don't feel so bad because some people are really terrible. But I'll tell you whats not terrible... Y La Bamba.

But you probably knew that already. Everyone seems to think so and I agree. If you haven't heard consider yourself informed. Or just click here to hear for yourself.



Now that that is out of the way I have but a few things to say about the show. I have been enjoying their album Lupon. It is a fantastic listen but there is something special about seeing them live. Part of it is that frontwoman Luz Elena is mesmerizing to watch, but it is also that the band as a whole has fantastic stage presence. They are warm and funny (especially Ben Meyercord, whom I would pay to go see just sitting on a stool and talking) and involve the audience in a way that makes it seem like you are participating in the creation of the show.

Pretty much everybody should go see this band play and sing. You wont be able to for a while though because they are off somewhere touring extensively (including a stint with the great Niko Case.) I know I will be looking forward to their homecoming concert.

Ostensibly, you can keep up with their tour diary here.

three7: So much talent in the PDX

It’s a great time to be a fan of hip hop in the northwest with lots of great releases and shows coming your way. Things have been pretty busy on Welcome to the Neighborhood too with announcements and in studio guests. You can catch up on past episodes by subscribing to the podcast via the website KZME or on iTunes.

In April, Destro of Oldominion hung out to talk about his latest release Ill.Ustrated on Vinyl Fluid Records and the album release that featured Vursatyl of the Lifesavas, Sleep of Oldominion, L Pro and more. He also premiered the video for the first single Back On The Flow – good stuff for sure.

Tony Ozier of the Doo Doo Funk All-Stars stopped by the following week as we played material from many of the projects he’s worked on including features with Living Proof, Soul P, The Manimalhouse, solo projects Mental Candy and Aural Penetration and of course the DDF All-Stars Keep The Funk Alive. We also talked about the Mix and Mash event featuring Commotion and DDF on stage together at the Someday Lounge – it was a good show for sure. Tony talked about gearing up for the school year as he’ll be working with R.E.A.L. Prep Charter Acadamy R.E.A.L. Prep and making a difference in the lives of the youth in our community. Be on the look out for more from Tony in the coming months and keep up with all thinks Dookay at the official website www.doodoofunk.com

Sapient of Sandpeople stopped by and talked about the many projects he’s working on including his latest release Barrels For Feathers. You can keep up with all things Sapient at the official website www.sapientkills.com Aside from recording, Sape had to keep an eye on his phone as he was awaiting the call that his new baby may be on the way (congrats bro). There are a couple of new videos he’s working along with a new rock album. Here the whole interview including an in studio performance on the Welcome to the Neighborhood podcast.

Still coming over the next few weeks, in studio guests including Kenny Fresh of Fresh Selects, Nitro Norm, Animal Farm and Theory Hazit. So be sure to tune in every Tuesday from 9-11pm pacific.

Alright y’all, until next time, be blessed.

Klyph

The Local Artist Speaks: ANNE ADAMS

I met Anne Adams a couple of years ago at a dinner for women involved in the music industry. I spoke with her a few moments about her music as Grey Anne and the Portland music scene. I later crossed paths with Anne when she agreed to do her amazing dino tarot card reading for our KZME prelaunch party last year (she was spot on!). Not only that, she is a very talented arts & culture writer/blogger for Portland Monthly magazine.

And anyone who uses "Gee whillickers" is alright in my book.

Meet Anne Adams!!!

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How long have you lived in the Portland area?

Since 2001.

Give us a brief history of your band/project:

Playing music and writing songs has been a lifelong interest, and it's been an ongoing part-time project for me since I was 16. In Portland, I was in a band called The Persimmons, then I was solo as Per Se. I gigged around town and home-recorded a little under that name. I played PDX Pop Now! the first year, and also volunteered. After that, I brought others on to play with me under that bandname: Rachel Sakry on multi-instruments, and Theo Spanos, then Lindy Wood, then Treva Jackson on drums. Some of these folks and a bunch of other awesome people helped me record my album, Facts N Figurines, but when it became hard to coordinate schedules for live shows, I went back to playing solo. In 2006, I collaborated with Paul Alcott (of Menomena and Ramona Falls) on a 10-track album of electronica songs and did a few live performances and some licensing under the name "Sweater!" We published tracks on PDX Pop Comps '06 and '07, and played at PDX Pop '07. Around that time, I also made a few ukulele radio jingles for friends, including one for local beverage company VISO, and one for a radio called Destination DIY that airs on OPB. In 2008, I changed my booking name to Grey Anne, and released Facts N Figurines under that name at the beginning of 2009. I did my first west coast tour with PWRFL Power and Cap Lori in summer '09. In spring 2010 I did another regional tour with Tim Martin (Brutal Fight/His Name Shall Breathe) and in December 2010 I did a digital release of an acoustic Christmas concept EP, Dickinson's Christmas Carols--Christmas melodies, Emily Dickinson lyrics. Lately, I've pulled back on the live performances to focus more on writing and figure out my next recording logistics.

What’s the first song you ever learned to play?

I started playing piano when I was 5, so I really can't remember the first thing. Early favorites were dumbed-down arrangements of songs from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Beethoven and Bach exercises from early-grade Royal Conservatory books, and the floatiest ballads from 1950's-era Disney, like "The Second Star To The Right" from Peter Pan. I always wanted to figure out my own arrangements, though, and learn songs that weren't in my books, so I made up versions of Muppets' The Rainbow Connection and later George Michael's "Mother's Pride," finding it perversely cathartic to sing and play and cry.

I didn't play anything in high school, and started playing guitar in college.

What’s your favorite local venue to play? To see other bands?

Right now, hands down, The Woods. I might be biased because I have friends in that little world, but a shared aesthetic brought about our friendship. So, yeah. I love The Woods. Ella Street also has an amazing room-vibe, and good acoustics for what I do. Both of those places are former mortuaries, so maybe mortuaries make great venues.

PDX Pop Now! is a great forum in which to see bands, as are house shows. One of my favorite shows was a really sweaty summer house show in a house venue called Baller Tower.

Speaking of other bands, who do you like on the Portland music scene?

I like my friends' bands, like Loch Lomond and Y La Bamba and Sallie Ford. I was on their bandwagon early, and I'm glad they're doing so well. My current favorite up-and-coming songwriters are Padraic Finbar Hagerty-Hammond and Sarcastic Dharma Society, and my fave loop maven is Like A Villain. I like YOUR band--provided you sound good, and have vision, personality and etiquette.

Tell us about a recent “Only in Portland” moment you might have had.

Gee whillickers. I've been steeped in this topic lately, because I am also a writer, and did lots of coverage of Portlandia, and even interviewed Carrie Brownstein. But I guess the "only in Portland" phenomenon that is dearest to my heart is Dino Tarot (a craft I invented and practice periodically at bars, clubs and patios, that uses plastic dinosaurs in lieu of runes or cards, for a kind of ad-hoc divination). Only Portlanders would be so receptive, so delighted, to have me "read their dinosaurs." Portlanders have a fluent dialogue with their inner children that's actually really beautiful.

Finish this sentence: “I cannot live without_____”

Food, water, privacy and freedom. That sounds really cliched, and perhaps I should pick something more frivolous. But I've been in situations younger in life that really limited my freedom, so I relish every bit that I have now. I also do my best work at unstructured jobs where I can choose when to come and go and say what I really think. I also need freedom in music, so I'm not a big fan of genre or typecasting. Don't get me wrong--I love structure--but I want to build it myself.

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You can check out Anne's current offering for Portland Monthly about Hand2Mouth's new performance piece, Uncanny Valley, by clicking here.

Psst....you can get up close and personal with the folks of Hand2Mouth on May 19 at Portland Artspark!

Thanks for reading!
Dennise

The Local Artist Speaks: BENNA GOTTFRIED

From the PDX Pop Now! web site:

In 1998, PDX Pop listserv began in true DIY fashion when a few dozen Portland musicians, fans, and writers started a listserv that focused on promoting and discussing the local music scene. In ways it mirrored the collaborative nature of Portland’s music scene; one where cooperation trumped competition and motivation spurred from the question, “How big can this thing get?”This question inspired the creation of PDX Pop Now! when 14 people envisioned local music emboldened by local recognition, and were driven to ignite it.

One of those people involved in this fabulous event is Benna Gottfried. She has been involved with PDX PopNow! since 2009.

Meet Benna Gottfried!

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How long have you lived in the Portland area?
I was raised in Raleigh Hills, left for college in Los Angeles and came right back when I graduated. So, basically 26 years (minus college).

Give us a brief history of your band/project:
In 1998, PDX Pop listserv began in true DIY fashion when a few dozen Portland musicians, fans, and writers started a listserv that focused on promoting and discussing the local music scene.

The idea: that Portland’s self-sustained scene had reached a level deserving of recognition, discovery, enhancement, stimulation, participation, accessibility and—most importantly—celebration! Thus, the PDX Pop Now! music festival and compilation of all local performers was born in 2004.

After producing the third-annual PDX Pop Now! festival, these volunteers decided to turn their labor of love into a lasting legacy. In July of 2007, PDX POP Now! became a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.

Now, driven by a dedicated Board of Directors and more than 200 volunteers, we are committed to celebrating, promoting and sustaining Portland’s vital and diverse music community. In harmony with this mission, we also work to connect this diverse music community to the general public through our outreach efforts.

What’s the first song you ever learned to play?
I'm not actually much of a musician myself, but I remember learning Minuet in G when I was just starting piano lessons at age 7.

What’s your favorite local venue to play? To see other bands?
There are a lot of great venues Holocene, Mississippi Studios, Doug Fir, Valentines, but I think I really need to send my love to Backspace for guaranteeing an awesome all-ages music experience for every show.

Speaking of other bands, who do you like on the Portland music scene?
Ages and Ages, Brainstorm, Kelli Schaefer, oh and this great track that was submitted to the PDX Pop Now! comp. I don't know who it is yet (all of the tracks are anonymized for the voting process), but I can't get enough!

Tell us about a recent “Only in Portland” moment you might have had.
The other week I saw Builders and the Butchers busking outside of Powell's. You don't see nationally renowned bands playing on the street very often.

Finish this sentence: “I cannot live without LOCAL MUSIC!”

KZME Radio is a proud media sponsor of PDX Pop Now!.

KZME Volunteer Spotlight: Allie Silverberg

1. A brief bio about who you are...
I came to Portland about two and half years ago. I'm from New York, moved here via Los Angeles where I studied classical voice. I'm half of the pop/folk duo Sound Semantics, and we're currently in a new-video-every-week project for 2011 (soundsemantics.wordpress.com for all the videos!). As for my day job, I've stepped off the stage but am keeping music in my life there, too, working for the Oregon Symphony. When I first came to Portland, I gave the city at least a year to woo me, and convince me to stay. With great character, an endless list of must-see's and must-do's, and the wonderful multi-genre music scene, the city has definitely succeeded!

2. Your volunteer gig with KZME is our web content editor - why do you do this for us?
I have some very basic web-design experience and am passionate about music--especially local music, now that I'm a local. Between work and play, my schedule can be limiting, but website help can be done anytime, anywhere--so I'm able to stay involved and support a cause I believe in.

3. A few of your favorite local bands and/or venues...
Typhoon and The Woods! My "favorites" tend to change all the time, but I've been stuck on Typhoon for weeks.

4. If you won a million dollars, what would you do with it?
Yeesh. I wouldn't know where to start! I'd probably pay off my student loans, invest a little, donate a lot, and try to bribe my family and friends to move to Portland...

Here are some links to keep track of what I'm up to outside of KZME:

soundsemantics.wordpress.com
facebook.com/soundsemantics
www.soundsemantics.com

Oregon Symphony - Portland's largest and most timeless local band?
www.orsymphony.org