By Khagan Aslanov
On their sophomore LP, the Oklahoma sludge-punks build an uglier golem.
If anyone had any doubts after listening to his lip-smacking debut, Bizou — which literally translates to Kiss — the Montreal-based art punk in bloom, Alix Fernz, just planted a big sloppy wet one onto the collective cheeks of music fans everywhere with the release of his latest live session, proving that he really does pack just as much bark as his bite.
The songs featured in the session, which was recorded at L’Escogriffe — one of our favourite drinking holes in Montreal’s Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood — include album opener ”Muselière” and his debut single “Wax.” Fernz then wraps things up and puts a nice little bow on top with “Crack de dent,” an anglo krautrock jam that channels the new wave energy of Gary Newman and the experimental showmanship of Brian Eno.
There’s a lot of beautiful noise coming out of Montreal right now and Fernz is among the fresh new crop of talent that has our attention. We recently caught up with him to get his take on the importance of live shows versus studio albums, and to find out if he has any tricks up his sleeve for his upcoming tour.
Can you tell us a bit more about what this session was all about and how it came to be?
For me, live sessions are really important for musical artists, it shows the rawness of what the project presents! Showing the audience the songs in a live version where the aesthetics and universe are clear was the main reason!
Why did you select L’esco as the location to shoot this session at?
Because it’s where I work as a bartender, it feels like home. It’s also less pricey for me to do it at L’Esco . We don’t need to rent the gear, everything’s there already!
What is the secret to a good live show?
Tight band, lots of stuff to look at, like projections, backdrops, and lights. Also good energy and seeing the people on stage having fun doing what they do!
Got any fun tricks up your sleeve that we can expect when we see you on your upcoming tour?
I deepthroat my microphone and look like I’m about to pass out lol!
By Khagan Aslanov
On their sophomore LP, the Oklahoma sludge-punks build an uglier golem.
By Ben Boddez
The punk-rock quartet are still mostly in their teen years, but they’ve already conquered the world and continue to surprise listeners at every turn.
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As Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds prepare for their Wild God tour, the Australian musician and composer reflects on a year of musical highs, personal losses, and quiet triumphs.