official archived news 2002

NOVEMBER 2002 fork news

'SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE' is available in stores now, worldwide. for mail order, we recommend AQUARIUS RECORDS. don't miss the first new recorded work in 2 years, about which the adventurous music authority BRAINWASHED.COM has proclaimed: "(while) hordes of imitators flood the market and are scooped up by any record label wanting to compete in the "new market", I AM SPOONBENDER refuse to allow keyboard presets, generic production and predictable riffs to drive their music... releases like this, along with their previous, will still be as listenable years from now and just as tasty as they are today.."

yes, that was DUSTIN (along with CHUNKLET magazine/LITTLE ARMY records impresario henry owings) filming shows and merchandising the recent west coast shows of the infamous MR. SHOW comedy team. rumors are that dustin's digital video recordings (done with bob odenkirk's camera, at his request), are being reviewed for possible inclusion in a future MR. SHOW dvd.

for more about 'SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE', see the 'info/photos' section of the website.


OCTOBER 2002 fork news

'SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE' (cdep or 12") is out now worldwide! ask your favorite record outlet for it. if said store is out, ask them to order it - any store can have it within days.

if you prefer, mailorder is fast and cheap from AQUARIUS RECORDS, s.f. and you can also get a selection of our other items as well (cds, picture discs, tshirts, buttons, posters). PLUS: they are currently holding an I AM SPOONBENDER 'SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE' CONTEST: from now until november 21st, everyone purchasing a copy of the cd or 12" will be entered in a draw to win an AQUARIUS RECORDS gift certificate for $15 as well as his/her choice of a SENDER/RECEIVER or TELEWIN cd!


SEPTEMBER 2002 fork news

NEW RELEASE:

SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE cdep/12" - out OCTOBER 21st (worldwide) on Gold Standard Laboratories

brand new 'SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE' bios and photos at the 'info/photos' page of the website!

the current issue (october) of ALTERNATIVE PRESS (AP) has a 'synths and samplers' special containing exclusive photos/interviews with IAS, trent reznor and kid 606.

SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE listening / release party: CLUB FAKE san francisco friday, 9/20.


JULY 2002 fork news

SHOWS

I AM SPOONBENDER have been personally invited by SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES to open 2 los angeles-area shows in august. these are S.A.T.B. only announced west coast dates- likewise I.A.S.
8/11- HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM
8/13 - GROVE OF ANAHEIM

the rumor is that I AM SPOONBENDER were used as the model for this 'ad-band'. hhhmmm.

" an estimated 18 million people (conciously or subconciously) heard I AM SPOONBENDER's 'clocks grow old / stopwatch static' on a recent episode of fox tv's golden-globe-winning '24'. "

I AM SPOONBENDER ON 'ELECTROCLASH'

we're constantly being asked about 'electroclash':

" are you electroclash?" "what do you think of it? ", etc.

hmmm.

well, a few things come to mind : "I AM SPOONBENDER : opening the doors for electroclash since 1997", and "electroclash : opening the doors for imitation and mediocrity since 2001".

"since their formation in 1997, ias has lead the underground electro-avant-rock scene to it's current bulging at mainstreams edge, but with a vision that sees far beyond the confines of the trendy 'electroclash' movement they helped spawn. With everything that IAS touches there is far more going on than initial impressions may suggest. Political, metaphysical, and musically ambitious, (it is) bound to sound alien — and just as wonderful — 30 years into the future. It opens up fields of vision and ways of reinterpreting the world around you- in a sense, it offers you new eyes, new ears.” - All Music Guide (‘best-of’ artist)

outside of feeling like a big-shot before your trend withers, why would anyone want to sound (or do anything) JUST LIKE WHAT'S COME BEFORE?

useless.

unless of course, you're following the example of being like what's come before by NOT being like what's come before. most of the artists clawing to identify themselves with an art-strangling 'scene' title are (quite often unbeknownst to themselves even) replicating what's come before. it's sure to get worse. we're not against electroclash; we're more for attempting to express the inexpressable- looking forward, mostly. disposable is fine (that is the essence of trends), but ask yourself : do you want the 80's or do you want change? go buy the albums released in the 80's, not albums by groups ripping them off. and for the record : doing 'electro' covers of worse-than-shit songs from the 80's is something we do for fun between sleeping and going to the dentist. the only thing worse than releasing it is journalists taking it seriously.

a true electroclasher is against electroclash.

so, spoonbender? electroclash? only inasmuch as warhol was a packaging designer.

or rather: pop music is for sheep, and we are disguised as shepherds.


MARCH 2002 fork news

view our new video for "Replaced By Toys" in the 'moving pictures' section of the website.

ON THE RADIO ON TV:
yes, that was 'STOPWATCH STATIC' on fox's '24' tuesday night, march 12th. it seems that I AM SPOONBENDER is kim bauer's favorite band... what's most interesting to us is the fact that the song was used while the characters were talking to each other on the phone (as we do when it's performed live), and it seems that the show's concept directly deals with clocks, time, and telephones- as do the lyrics.

what is coincidence?

photos from our recent shows with THE FAINT and ADULT.:
http://noisepop.com/2002/sf/photos2.html#ias

I AM SPOONBENDER on the cover of west coast performer magazine:
http://performermag.com/wcpindex.shtml

I AM SPOONBENDER in the san francisco examiner:
http://www.examiner.com/ex_files/default.jsp?story=X0227SPOONw


FEBRUARY 2002 fork news

we now have demo excerpts of new songs up on the mp3 page- you can get a glimpse of what we're currently working on. remember though: these are excerpts from DEMOs. they are NOT FINISHED- meaning, what you hear now may not (and likely won't) appear on the final release. 'demo' means trial vocals, lyrics and performances. nothing here is set in stone. we hope you enjoy these rough sketches.

I AM SPOONBENDER will be performing 3 shows this month with new members (!) KEVIN FARKAS, MONIQUE JENKINSON, and ERIC NORDHAUSER:

february 27th. san francisco: bimbo's ( noise pop 10.) this show is sold out - thank you.
february 28th. los angeles: el rey theater.
march 1st. pomona, ca.: the glasshouse.

all 3 shows are with THE FAINT and ADULT.

these will be our only shows this spring, as we're working on an as-yet-untitled new 12" (cd to follow soon thereafter) due in MAY on GOLD STANDARD LABORATORIES. 'HIDDEN PERSUADERS' (our new full-length DVD album) is still being worked over and (presumably) will be out this fall.

west coasters from vancouver to san diego: look for I AM SPOONBENDER on the cover of WEST COAST PERFORMER magazine in the march issue. amidst discussion of 'hidden persuaders', special photos, and more, will be the first tangible results of what happens with the money you forks send in when you join the 'SPOONBENDER SLEEP RESEARCH TEAM'. definitely a questionable use of time and funds...

the january issue of ALTERNATIVE PRESS magazine contains a eulogy for MICHAEL KAROLI of CAN written by DUSTIN. the new issue of CHUNKLET magazine contains new comic strips by CUP and DUSTIN (GLIM AND POG), an article by MARC ('INDIETRONICA') , life changing social behavior guides by DUSTIN (the 'MAN HUG') and documentation of a life-long drivers license photo prank by I AM SPOONBENDER's front-of-house sound engineer KURT SCHLEGEL (who is currently on tour mixing alt-rock superheroes TOMAHAWK in europe and australia). check it.