I have just returned from seeing Guitar Wolf, the legendary jet rock and rollers from Japan. I have wanted to see this band since I first bought one of their albums at the seminal Wax Trax record store in Boulder,Colorado in 1998.(I think it was the first thing I ever got there oddly enough, along with a Motorhead compilation) So needless to say I was excited. I mean the thundering Link Wray riffs that made you ready to rumble with some Socs, the frenzied two to three minutes of every carnage filled song, and of course the amount of aliens killed in their cult film Wild Zero made me excited to see the men in black this evening.
And you know what…it wasn’t that awesome. I mean sure they played Missile Me and Jet Generation quite early and their genius stands up, but a 5 minute jam song with stops and starts for audience snap along? A 10 minute noise jam that makes The Germs Annihalation Man sound as orchestrated as Berlioz?
Listen, I’m cool with a good noise breakdown, see my love of Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, but there is a fine line between amazing and unlistenable wankery. This show definitely was on the latter side, I mean 30 minutes into the show I swear they had played a full 5 songs when by that point they should’ve already been at AT LEAST 10. It all felt very tired, perhaps the problem is the band has never really gone away long enough for anyone to really miss them
Which is in stark contrast to their former Matador labelmates, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, who also played in Austin in the past month. This show while sold out, shockingly didn’t include much of the normal youthful indie rock crowd, which proves that most so called “cool people” didn’t start listening to music until after 2004. Because if they had, they would’ve know Jon Spencer always means fucking business. Even during the disaffected Pussy Galore days his sneer, showmanship, and style created a hypnotic power that kept you into the songs when they would veer into the unlistenable.
So here were the Blues Explosion, no new album since 04′, no tours since a short 05′ stint, with everything to prove. Were they still great? Still a force? Remotely relevant in a landscape still littered with synthsizers? The answer was yes on all three accounts.
Name a Blues Explosion song from any era and they probably played it, it was that kind of show. Bellbottoms, Sweat, 2 Kindsa Love, all played with the kind of swagger and power you expect from Spencer, Simins, and Bauer. It was the kind of show that made you not only remember not only how great they are, but exactly why you started listening to the band in the first place. It was all familiar but there was an urgency and excitement, which is what Guitar Wolf were lacking…It was difference between seeing a great band with rock stars members all of whom still have something to say vs seeing a band limping by on previous triumphs.
Guitar Wolf in more awesome alien killing days
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in younger even more bonkers days
Tags: blues explosion, guitar wolf, heyiwenttoashow, live, music, shows
Hi.
I was also at the Guitarwolf show at Red 7, and took the some of the photos that were on the BrooklynVegan site. I unfortunately agree with you that this was an underwhelming show for Guitarwolf, but as someone that has seen them multiple times, Euclid Tavern, CBGB’s, Santos, Knitting Factory….., I gotta tell you that they usually put on a killer show. I think this was just as off night for them. I didn’t think they were terrible, but it was probably the least interesting set I’ve seen them play in 15 years.
i thought the fingersnapping and dragging that kid onstage for like 15 minutes was excessive and boring. Nobody is there to see some kid try to play guitar, we’re there to see Seiji shred. I cringed when he pulled him BACK out of the audience to play more.
Having said that, I completely disagree with your claim that they haven’t gone away long enough for anyone to miss them. When they don’t tour, I miss them. Also, they never went away because they NEVER BROKE UP. They took a short break in 2005 when Billy, the founding bass player and one of Seiji’s best friends FUCKING DIED. They picked up U.G. and were back playing shows by September 2005. Most bands wouldn’t survive a loss like that. I’ve seen them multiple times since then, and always thought they were still one of the best touring bands I’ve ever seen. There is no way this is a band that’s “limping” along, as you claim.
I’m not trying to slam on your opinion, but I don’t think you can dismiss a band on the basis of one show. And seriously, how did it take you THIRTEEN YEARS to see them after buying a record? You couldn’t have been trying that hard, if you REALLY wanted to see them.
Here’s a link to some shots from a much better show at Santos last fall: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2010/10/guitar_wolf_pla.html
Anyway, I hope you like them more next time they play. Hopefully it won’t be another thirteen years.
See ya,
Keith
Well part of not seeing them was being into them when I was under 21.(which is why I didn’t see them during their Planet of The Wolves SXSW appearance) By the time I was 21 they never played anywhere I was living and in my opinion had released an array of boring albums…the ones they still seem to be releasing.
Guitar Wolf have rocked and been great, but it feels like they are in this phase like the Rolling Stones, who also still release albums when they probably shouldn’t phase(Bigger Bang… anyone?). And even the Stones stopped for a while because Jagger and Richards spent most of the 80s hating each other, which of course only served to respark interest in the band touring again. Cranking out the rock for so long and still putting out stuff is admirable, but as a lapsed fan hearing a great combination of hits and really lighting it up might be exactly what I need to revisit their catalog and understand what made them so magic.(which is exactly what Blues Explosion are doing with current rereleases and doing an expansive tour for the first time since 02.) Perhaps on another night, but as you said yourself it was underwhelming. That’s exactly the right word. I was underwhelmed. I didn’t hate it, but I did walk away saying this band had it, but don’t anymore.
And you can always dismiss a band on one record or one show, just like you can praise them for one show or one record. Sometimes it isn’t a band’s night, but the performance and impact of that evening will determine if I spend money on them, recommend it to people I know, or make a point to follow what they are doing.
The shots from the last show look great though! And I appreciate you taking time to comment and discuss, because I can tell you are a big fan and I like when people defend their bands!
I gotta ask, what does being 21 have to do with anything? The first time I saw Guitarwolf, I think I was still in high school. I mean, when I want to see a band, I do whatever it takes to see them. First time I saw Turbonegro, I drove like 1500 miles and staked out their hotel to get into a sold-out show. I guess what you meant to say is that you wanted to see them whenever it was completely convenient for you, and took no real effort, and if it wasn’t up to your lofty standards, you would slag them off completely as has-beens. Sound about right?
I was 16 when I moved to Colorado, which doesnt get many shows that ARENT 21 there. And I looked far too young to ever get by with a fake ID. Generally you can’t even see that much good stuff up there as it is.
We’ve both seen a lot of bands. I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of bands that were shit, who didn’t make you say “oooh I need to go see them 15 more times to see if they really have it or not.” We were both in agreement that the show wasn’t very good, and honestly my “lofty standards” wanted them to be good as seen in the intro. But, as you said yourself it wasn’t particularly a good show. There’s too much music out there to bother waiting around for something that’s COULD be good or is just ok. I can always go back and put on classic albums to remember how brilliant the band WAS. I don’t have to settle for their current mediocrity, it’s my choice as a fan who’s spending money or making an effort talking about the band. Me calling them “past it” is just as much due to their studio output. It’s just not very good anymore. If you can suggest an album that has come out from them in the past 8 years that really indicates the band at the top of their game, I’d love to hear it.
Also thanks for the shoutout and reading Keith! I hope to hear more of your opinions and see more shots!