official archived news 2003

DECEMBER 2003 fork news

LIVE SLEEP RESEARCH UPDATE:

the following 2 shows ARE NOT HAPPENING due to a family emergency:

saturday 12/13/03 COSTA MESA: Detroit club
friday 12/19/03 LOS ANGELES: the Echo

again: IAS will not be at these shows.

IAS will be still performing a down low san francisco show:

monday 12/15/03 SAN FRANCISCO: Elbo Room
( special club show- advance tix from aquarius records are recommended. this is an early show- 7:30pm. no joking. )

this show signifies an end to a specific era of IAS for us- don't miss it.
that was IAS on recent episodes of MTV's ' Viva La Bam ' and ESPN's ' Playmakers ' , so either quit emailing or watch less tv. yes, one or the other.

WHERE ARE THE HIDDEN PERSUADERS?


OCTOBER 2003 fork news

Forks - it's october:

the 3rd time is the charm, so the cliche goes. whatever- this is the 3rd ever U.S. tour, and final out-of-state IAS shows this year, and you really should be there. we will.

Remaining Dates:
10.23 - NYC - pianos ( CMJ- KORK AGENCY SHOWCASE )
10-24 - SWARTHMORE, PA - Campus Show
10-25 - RICHMOND, VA - TBA
10-26 - ATLANTA, GA - TBA
10.28 - DENTON, TX - rubber gloves
10.29 - AUSTIN, TX - the mercury (w/ EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY)
10.31 (halloween) - LOS ANGELES - location 606 (606 E. 6th Street, downtown Los Angeles)

double checking your local listings for changes/details is advised...

"..the most innovative live-instrument electronic rock band around, with a hypnotic, surprise filled show that reveals others to be mere pretenders... I AM SPOONBENDER belong in one category only- their own." - VILLAGE VOICE

"vote IAS: the only band that promises everything"

IAS NOMINATED FOR 'BEST SF ELECTRONIC GROUP'

while we take issue with IAS being reduced to the generic, narrow, genre title of 'best electronic band', we are flattered that you nominated us. you can make us win by voting online (until 10/15) : sf weekly music awards

Preview: CMJ Music Marathon
October 22-26
New York, NY

"The annual CMJ MUSIC MARATHON, a three-day showcase of buzz bands, panels, and films, is back. Panel discussions include talks on regional club scenes and the explosive growth of the jazz remix industry, as well as roundtables on press, new technology, and digital distribution — issues that affect rockers, rappers, and ravers alike. The current buzz surrounding no wave and post-punk lends the lineups their share of bands that fuse rock structures with electronic instrumentation, including SF electro-mashers I AM SPOONBENDER, it-band-with-a-cowbell The Rapture, and, for the opening night party at Webster Hall, classic dance-metallers KILLING JOKE." -from some 'hip' online site that all the kids are talking about...


SEPTEMBER 2003 fork news

IAS will be playing their first ever shows in washington and oregon in september! they are:

september 11th: PORTLAND - BERBATI'S
september 13th: SEATTLE - GRACELAND

OCTOBER MIDWEST/EAST COAST DATES ANNOUNCED HERE SOON!

there is a 20 minute IAS documentary up at BRAINWASHED.COM. this short documentary was filmed in boston during IAS' may u.s. tour. it gives a general overview of certain aspects of the group, as well as showing live footage (try to ignore the sound quality of the live footage please!). IAS is pleased to be a part of brainwashed.com's ongoing docu-series 'the eye', as the site is the web's foremost authority, host and hub for some of the most innovative music-makers around.


JULY 2003 fork news

it's likely that we're more disappointed than those of you that came to our midwest/east coast shows with the NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - to make a very complicated story simple: we weren't there. we're all fine, thanks, but machines and bureaucracy were insurmountable. thanks for your support and see you in october.
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southern californians: you're always asking about IAS playing LOS ANGELES... well, this is the time:

SATURDAY JULY 26TH. THE KEY CLUB, LOS ANGELES. 18/UP.

aside: we know next to nothing about the opening bands, and playing on sunset blvd is as surreal as it can get, but we highly recommend this show for the great stage, sitelines and a-list soundsystem- not to mention that our current set is the most fully realized and head-melting yet assembled.. DON'T MISS IT !
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SAN FRANCISCO - we're playing 2 intimate SF GIGS :

FRIDAY and SATURDAY, AUGUST 1st and 2nd. EDINBURGH CASTLE.
w/ special friends and guests

we're foregoing our annual GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL show for an opposite choice- two nights at the "tenderknob"s EDINBURGH CASTLE. despite this decidedly more low-key approach, you should still expect our extensive stage production, with the result being our most intimate experience together since IAS' G.A.M.H. debut over 4 years ago. these will be the first full SF sets in a year and a half.
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do you believe what you read?:

"one of the most unique and creative live bands around. The next time you hear about this band coming to a town near you, make sure you don't miss out. They will make you realize just how original and artistic a live musical performance can be, and let me tell you: there are a lot of bands out there that really should be taking notice. one of the best shows I have seen in a long time." - pitchfork.com

" .. far more complex and intelligent than most of their counterparts (exactly who is that again?). Songs like "Remover - Installer", off their 2002 EP Shown Actual Size are raucous and technologically maniacal, like a computer system meltdown. Over the course of their too-brief set, every movement and moment was scripted, calculated. Lights ran amok. Their bodies seizured rhythmically. The stage went dark, strobe lights flashed, the drumsticks went luminous. They ripped off their top uniform to reveal saucy outfits underneath. Besides angular sonics in a synth-heavy, dark, yet hooky montage, they also rock out, thrash, kill their instruments with mechanical strength, burn. They hammer away at both (drumkits). It is too much. It is not enough. ..IAS's show at the (NYC) Knitting Factory was near perfect.." - popmatters.com

"..the most innovative live-instrument electronic rock band around, with a hypnotic, surprise filled show that reveals others to be mere pretenders... I AM SPOONBENDER belong in one category only- their own." - the village voice


JUNE 2003 fork news

it was great seeing you all on tour in may- the response was incredible! thanks. we're coming back your way in early july with THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS. this will include our first ever appearance in detroit. there is also a costa mesa, ca show on saturday june 28th at the DETROIT BAR. more info/dates at bottom.

new music from IAS:

- "my rhythm box has teeth" by I AM SPOONBENDER with JIMMY/MARGARET ' is out now on the DEATH BEFORE DISCO compilation on princehouse records. new song unavailable anywhere else. this comp was mastered by us at SEISMIC SEANCE and features many interesting groups doing mutant dance tracks. order it from aquarius records.

- "chapped lip hypnotist (turn me on in session)" by I AM SPOONBENDER with BENJAMIN CHANCE' is out now on the GSL 50 comp, available free with issue 11 of SKYSCRAPER magazine. new song unavailable anywhere else.

IAS LIVE:

june 28th- detroit club, costa mesa w/ dance disaster movement

w/ THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS:

july 5th- minneapolis. 1st ave

july 6th- chicago. metro

july 7th- detroit. magic stick

july 8th- toronto. phoenix

july 9th- montreal. la sala rossa ( no N.P. )

july 10th- boston. middle east

july 11th- nyc. bowery ballroom

some recent press surrounding the may tour:
the origin of CUP's name revealed; aesthetic choices explained:
http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2003/050103/music3.html

glad you liked it, but we're not really 'electroclash' OR 'dance music' :
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/i-am-spoonbender-030510/

"(among many things) The telephone (mics are) a live visual prop born out of the time when Cup still lived in Vancouver. We developed a relationship that was based on the telephone because we lived in different countries, so it became the most precious object in our friendship.." It just became a central image. If you were to take the telephone back 200 years, it''d be perceived as a magic object from another dimension that people would likely worship. It's almost become invisible now because of how usefully and perfectly it works." - excerpt from NOW magazine toronto, may 2003


MAY 2003 fork news

in spite of tyranny, s.a.r.s., and recent emergency room visits, I AM SPOONBENDER is going on its 2nd NORTH AMERICAN TOUR ever- bringing stroboscopic delirium and metaphysic glam surrealism to your town.

- or the next one over, at least.

in addition to lights and fog, there will be songs from SENDER/RECEIVER, TELETWIN, SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE, and plenty of new ones from the imminent dvd album HIDDEN PERSUADERS. mostly, it will be great getting groups of people together who believe in possibilities.

it's rare for IAS to get out of california, so we hope to see you at one of the following locations:

I AM SPOONBENDER NIGHTLY DREAM COMMITTEES:

friday may 2 MINNEAPOLIS 7th st entry

saturday may 3 CHICAGO empty bottle

tuesday may 6 TORONTO the 360

wednesday may 7 MONTREAL la sala rossa

thursday may 8 BENNINGTON U., VT tishman auditorium

friday may 9 BOSTON tt the bears

saturday may 10 NYC knitting factory

monday may 12 PHILADELPHIA first unitarian

wednesday may 14 ATLANTA the echo

friday may 16 DENTON, TX rubber gloves

saturday may 17 AUSTIN emos

we will also have many limited, tour-only items and goodies with us. yes, that includes METALLICA DRUMMER videos. if you've got the space and no pets, we'd rather stay with you (although your clocks might stop working). if you have interesting/pretty telephones that you don't want- bring 'em to us. working or not...

see you soon!

IAS

"if one is not happy with the illusion that is foisted upon us, one must not only attack this illusion but also those whose own lives and actions sustain it." - jason wynd

"Realism is a bad word. EVERYTHING is 'realistic'. I see no line between the imaginary and the real." - federico fellini

"give me two hours of activity a day. Give me the other 22 in dreams." - luis bunuel


APRIL 2003 fork news

IAS will play more shows this year than all of the shows they've played up to this point combined. promise.

DUSTIN unknowingly performed last weekend in SAN LUIS OBISPO for EARTHFEST with acute appendicitis, and immediately went to the hospital in severe pain for an emergency appendectomy. DUSTIN may not be the man he used to be, but it's going to take more than missing parts to keep IAS from playing these shows this weekend:

fr/4/18 san francisco, ca - slim's ( w/ germany's NOTWIST )

su/4/20 los angeles, ca - knitting factory ( w/ the NOTWIST )

MAY NORTH AMERICAN TOUR dates will be posted THIS COMING WEEK.

DON'T MISS IAS' 2nd EVER TOUR!

after reading some wrong reviews about SHOWN ACTUAL SIZE, we'd like to point out some writing here from someone who gets it the way we intend it:

we don't just like this review because it's positive- it's well written (a well written bad review is cherished too).

DUSTIN recently played drums on the soundtrack to the film 'DOPAMINE', which won the Sloan Feature Film Prize at the recent SUNDANCE film festival. dustin recorded with an assembled band for the project which included billy gould (FAITH NO MORE), and mike morasky (STEEL POLE BATHTUB, MILK CULT).

the new issue of CHUNKLET magazine (#17) contains 'SHATTERED DREAMS', a new comic strip by CUP and DUSTIN, as well as CUPs' 'ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO METALLICA'S 'KILL 'EM ALL'. check it out.

WANTED: old, weird, cool TELEPHONES. it's a bonus if they work, but they don't need to... we'll trade for anything you want (cd's, shirts, etc) so send us a jpeg or photo if you've got something good! just the handsets are fine too... let us know: forks@iamspoonbender.com

"people do not think. what luck for the rulers." - adolf hitler

"the one thing that cannot be controlled by them is the imagination. this then, is the key" - IAS

"the genius of life is to carry the spirit of childhood into old age." - aldous huxley