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Soundcheck / August 30, 2007

Soundcheck

Thursday, August 30, 2007
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  • The Brains Behind the Music

    The managers who guide rock careers have been lauded (The Beatles’ Brian Epstein), vilified (Elvis svengali Colonel Tom Parker), and parodied (This Is Spinal Tap). Today on Soundcheck, we peek inside one of the oddest jobs in music: band manager. Plus, the full-length debut from New York-based Battles sounds less like rock circa 2007 than rock circa 2097 (or so says the indie music website Pitchfork). They join us to talk about their refreshing take on computer-aided music.

Band Managers

Many of rock's greatest acts owe a part of their success to a band manager. Others just end up owing a fortune. We talk with Steve Overbury, author of Guns, Cash and Rock n Roll: The Managers, about the best (and most notorious) band managers in history. And, band manager Alex Kadvan, who works with New York-based groups like Antibalas, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, and the Budos Band, shares his experience working in today's music industry.

More about the Steve Overbury book
Guns, Cash and Rock n Roll on Amazon
Kadvan Entertainment web site

Song for New York / Interview With Battles

Song for New York is a free, waterfront musical theater production that gets underway this weekend. And the theater critic Alisa Solomon is not just interested in the performances, but in the unruly elements involved with launching a new show.
More about Song for New York

The New York-based band Battles claims to be four guys with impressive indie-rock resumes and a mountain of electronic gear. But after hearing the chipmunk vocals and thumping grooves on their album Mirrored, you might get the impression they're actually bionic men sent from the future -- to rock. We talk with guitarist/keyboardist Ian Williams and drummer John Stanier.

Battles on MySpace
Video: Live clip of Battles at Studio B in Brooklyn

Arcade Fire

When I Missed the Boat

Soundcheck

How prejudice and second-guessing can cause you to miss some great music. Also, Juilliard-trained pianist Andy Russo joins us to share "Mix Tape," a collection of 14 classical arrangements of nuggets by Billy Joel, James Blunt, the B-52's, and others.

johnny flynn

Johnny Flynn

Soundcheck

Johnny Flynn, a London-based singer-songwriter, performs songs from his new album, "A Larum."

Ahmad Jamal

Ahmad Jamal

Soundcheck

Pianist and composer Ahmad Jamal was a major influence on Miles Davis in the 50s. Today rappers sample his music. He joins us to discuss his latest album.

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