you haven't heard from us in a while, and that's because our heads have been wrapped around writing and recording our new album 'HIDDEN PERSUADERS'. nothing we can say will prepare you for it, so just the details: it is a full length cd/dvd, meaning- full visuals for EVERY song. very musically stripped down, vocal orientated (cup's voice mostly), quite straightforward rhythmically... read: minimalist telepathic electro-wave for fans of music. guaranteed to be challenging and familiar all at once. recorded at SEISMIC SEANCE, of course. should be out in spring.
we need more of you to join THE SLEEP RESEARCH TEAM, as it helps keep our closet tidy and helps cut down the huge costs of our new album/dvd! remember, you get exclusive merchandise- including lots of rare and original items like posters, buttons, stickers, photos..who knows? send 3 dollars to: i am spoonbender sleep research team: 1055 valencia street, s.f., ca 94110 - enclose an 8X11 envelope and we'll fill it.
we've been asked by our friends in THE FAINT to re-mix 'your retro career melted' from their new release 'danse macabre'. we gladly accepted. look for that sometime early next year, we suppose. speaking of THE FAINT, JOEL from the band is playing bass guitar on a large part of our new release, as is DAVE EDWARDSON of NEUROSIS. we're pretty ok with this idea.
europeans! yes, it's true: our releases are soon to be domestically available in your countries via GOLD STANDARD LABORATORIES europe, distributed by southern uk. this will happen early next year, which also means we'll most likely see you next year. as always, the re-releases of SENDER/RECEIVER and TELETWIN will contain unique song titles and artwork additions, maybe even a video or two... also, we'd like to take this chance to thank our fans in sweden and italy for being so... visible and dedicated.
watch iamspoonbender.com for more info.
speaking of sweden, we have recently endorsed/been endorsed by ELEKTRON, makers of the incredible SIDSTATION synthesizer. it rocks, and we're happy to use it. check it out: www.sidstation.com
dreaming in sequence-
cup. marc. dustin.
AUGUST 2001 fork news
we extend our apologies to those of you who recently came to see us in MINNEAPOLIS and DETROIT- we had to cancel the shows due to some personal urgent family matters. thanks for your support- we'll make it up to you.
I AM SPOONBENDER will be performing FRIDAY, AUGUST 31ST at the COMMODORE BALLROOM in VANCOUVER, BC CANADA to celebrate MINT RECORDS 10th anniversary. also appearing: THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, THE SMUGGLERS, THE EVAPORATORS (featuring NARDWUAR!), and more. there will also be a SPOONBENDER 1.1.1. instore at zulu records on sunday september 2nd at 5pm. if you're traveling from out of town for this show, it is recommended that you get tickets early, as it will sell out.
we recently finished a collaboration with JELLO BIAFRA (renowned spoken word performer and former DEAD KENNEDY) for a SCREAMERS tribute record! if you don't know, the SCREAMERS were a late '70's L.A. 'artpunk' band- reportedly the first all-synthesizer one (no guitars!). anybody who's ever seen them live (before their '81 break-up) including JELLO himself and RE/SEARCH magazine founder V. VALE claim that the SCREAMERS are one of the all-time best live bands. never made a record unfortunately, although there are bootlegs of demos floating around. we cover 'EVA BRAUN' with JELLO on vocals, and we think it's pretty amazing... watch this space for more info on how to obtain this cd when it's released.
there is a rather controversial interview with DUSTIN up at www.anti-complacency.org
you decide: is dustin being fair, funny, 'uncool', or all three?
look for CUP in the latest issue (#22) of GIANT ROBOT magazine with her TOP 5 FAVORITE EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTIONS:
1. CLAIRVOYANCE- prophecy!
2. TELEPATHY- know what i mean?
3. REMOTE VIEWING- just like santa.
4. TELEKINESIS- i am spoonbender!
5. PSYCHOMETRY- "reading" an objects history via touch.
MAY/JUNE 2001 fork news
we will be in the midwest for 4 shows starting THIS COMING WEEKEND:
friday june 15th. columbus, oh @ the MORE THAN MUSIC FESTIVAL.
sunday june 17th. chicago, il @ the fireside
wednesday, june 20th. minneapolis, mn @7th st. entry
saturday, june 23rd. detroit, mi @ detroit contemporary arts
all shows all ages. all shows with THE LOCUST.
these will probably be our only midwest appearances this year.
look for DUSTIN as a 'cover model' on the debut release from PLEASURE FOREVER (sub pop), out now.
a thought about corporations from Gerald V. Casale, theoretician/video director/founding member of DEVO: "Corporations ARE people (as in human nature). The idea of a corporation was created by people (make that trial lawyers) to embody and formalize the worst aspects of people (i.e. greed, self aggrandizement, hypocritical behavior, etc.) In the corporate feudal state under which we all exist EVERYONE is a corporation! That's why Bush is president, that's why 62% of white males between the ages of 24 and 45 voted for him! What did they learn in college? - We are a nation of pseudo-trial lawyers with no sense of shame - counting our shekels, despising the community, ripping off the artists who are now "content providers" and placing blame on the "other" guy. It's over! The liberals and socially conscious lay down in front of the pig death machine. They are complicit in their passivity. It's time for the big ream. No one is innocent."
we will be playing the MORE THAN MUSIC FESTIVAL in columbus, ohio on june 15th. also playing this event: SUICIDE (!), ALEC EMPIRE and NIC ENDO (of ATARI TEENAGE RIOT), ARCHER PREWITT, HIGH ON FIRE, THE NEED, among many others. there will be other shows in the midwest (chicago, minneapolis) that will be annouced on june first.
I AM SPOONBENDER LIVE FOOTAGE: there is a streaming audio/video broadcast of our NYC show, courtesy of digital club network. WARNING/GUARANTEE: this recording is really poor- actually, just WRONG- and should not taken as an authentic document of the 'real' experience...
if you live in san francisco, make sure you check out
.VOCODER.
:FROM VINTAGE VOLTS TO NEW FORMS:
A WHIRLPOOLED ELECTRONIC MUSIC TIME-SLIP from bordello and sixxteen's JENNY and OMAR with guest: MAGICK LANTERN CYCLE (I AM SPOONBENDER's DUSTIN DONALDSON).
monthly. first night: THURSDAY MAY 17TH
601 EDDY STREET at the PHOENIX HOTEL.
:FROM VINTAGE VOLTS TO NEW FORMS:
A WHIRLPOOLED ELECTRONIC MUSIC TIME-SLIP from bordello and sixxteen's JENNY and OMAR with guest: MAGICK LANTERN CYCLE (I AM SPOONBENDER's DUSTIN DONALDSON).
monthly. first night: THURSDAY MAY 17TH
601 EDDY STREET at the PHOENIX HOTEL.
CUP is hosting cbc's radiosonic again: may 19th/20th and 26th/27th. all info is at www.radioescapade.com.
we've seen a lot of our still-in-print stuff on ebay lately going for pretty high prices- especially our posters. while we can't do anything about it (and don't particularly want to), remember that you can get everything we've released directly from us for less than in stores- and certainly, ebay.
fanboys MARC and DUSTIN recently met the hugely influential and infamous avant-garde filmmaker/author KENNETH ANGER in san francisco. here's some spirit photography.
we'd like to thank everyone that came to the shows on our recent (and first) u.s. tour- we had a great time. if you have any photos from any of our shows, we'd love to check them out- send or email them our way! thanks to everyone who helped out, and to the bands with whom we spent some time - fly pan am, atombombpocketknife, neko case/new pornographers, the locust, and pleasure forever.
MARCH/APRIL 2001 fork news
I AM SPOONBENDER
"ACROSS THIS BEAUTIFUL DIVINATION" TOUR
MARCH/APRIL 2001
all shows with PLEASURE FOREVER
(formerly SLAVES), except where noted by **
SUN 3-11 LA, CA -SPACELAND
MON 3-12 PHOENIX, AZ -MODIFIED **
TUE 3-13 DRIVE
WED 3-14 AUSTIN, TX -EMO'S/SXSW ** (GSL SHOWCASE w/ LOCUST)
THU 3-15 AUSTIN, TX -SXSW (DJ'ING EPITONIC.COM EVENT)
FRI 3-16 AUSTIN, TX -SXSW (DJ'ING LISTEN.COM EVENT)
SAT 3-17 OFF- SXSW
SUN 3-18 HOUSTON, TX -NOTSOUH'S (w. VUE)
MON 3-19 BATON ROUGE, LA -SPANISH MOON
TUE 3-20 NEW ORLEANS, LA -(DAY OFF FOR PALM READINGS AND VOODOO)
WED 3-21 DRIVE
THU 3-22 ATLANTA, GA -MJQ (w. THE PLASTIC PLAN) FRI 3-23 GREENVILLE, NC -PERCOLATOR
SAT 3-24 PHILADELPHIA, PA -UPSTAGE (w. STINKING LIZAVETA)
SUN 3-25 BALTIMORE, MD -OTTO BAR (w. FLY PAN AM)
MON 3-26 NY, NY -BROWNIE'S
TUE 3-27 HOBOKEN, NJ -MAXWELL'S (w. QUINTRON)
WED 3-28 DRIVE
THU 3-29 TORONTO, ONT -CMW ** (w. FLY PAN AM, KING COBB STEELIE)
FRI 3-30 CLEVELAND, OH -BEACHLAND BALLROOM (w. FLY PAN AM)
SAT 3-31 INDIANAPOLIS, IN -MELODY INN
SUN 4-1 OFF
MON 4-2 CHICAGO, IL -EMPTY BOTTLE (w. FLY PAN AM)
TUE 4-3 OMAHA, NE -SOKOL UNDERGROUND
WED 4-4 DENVER, CO -15TH ST TAVERN
THU 4-5 DENVER, CO -THE CAT
ALL DATES SUBJECT TO CHANcE.
as you probably know, we don't get the opportunity to tour very often, so this might be your only chance for a while to see us outside of california.
also, if any of you forks cook indian, italian, or thai and feel like having us for dinner (or if you've got good stuff on dvd!),
please send an email asap to: forks@iamspoonbender.com
subject: knifeforkspoon
we'll just come on right over.
please include your phone number and which city you're in...
no cat or dog homes, please- allergies make it hard to sing.
yes, we'll have METALLICA DRUMMER with us.
in the meantime, CUP's on the radio again. hosting three more weekends of radioescapade on cbc radio two.
saturday and sunday nights after midnight (02/24-25, 03/03-04, 03/10-11). lots and lots of new sonic pleasure.
www.radioescapade.com.
