We’re fashionably late this month. Sorry but with that thin slice of Spring almost gone, I had to get out and enjoy it. I was fortunate enough to gorge myself on crawfish and a flat full of Ponchatoula strawberries– thanks to Kevin B’s family out there in Livonia (Point Coupee Parish!)– and make it out to the Mississippi Gulf coast to go fishing with my family. It was a glorious March and April looks to be even sweeter.
I don’t know if it’s the crisp breezes or the bone-drenching thunderstorms, but lately my ears have felt open and alive and I’ve been hearing some truly beautiful things, whether live or through the radio. I want to take a minute to give a shout out to WTUL, who had a phenomenal marathon pledge drive last month. I know I had a great time listening and anyone brave enough to put King Louie and the Lovey Dovies’ James Hayes in the same room together deserves our support (and my check’s in the mail, I swear!). I’d also like to mention how awesome Hunter King and his “Storm Surge of Reverb” show on Mondays (4 to 6 pm) is; his enthusiasm and manic mic skills– and of course his eclectic and unquenchable music appetite– show why he is truly a once-in-a-generation DJ. I wouldn’t be writing to you now if it weren’t for certain WTUL DJs back in the day, whose shows I would tape on extra-long cassettes. Some of you know what I’m talking about because you did the same exact thing and some of you… well, let’s just say that’s how you ‘streamed’ music back then. Right now it seems like WTUL has a roster of outstanding DJs who are harnessing the power that a university-based FM station has for maximum effect. It’s the kind of thing that truly sustains a scene like ours. I also just want to point out that in my drives around the state and Mississippi, I’ve even been thrilled by standard FM stations, whether they jamming cheesy classic rock hits or even contemporary country. It reminds me that there will always be revolutionary music being made– all the time and everywhere.
Hopefully we have something like that for you within these 40 pages. And can I say that this might be the best issue we’ve ever put out? I’m so grateful to our staff, who somehow managed to send in some stellar pieces despite having their own good times in the great outdoors. Michael Welch’s interview with Ian Svenonius is a great conversation with one of D.C.’s most prolific artists; I’m pretty sure Nation of Ulysses was on one of my TUL tapes. I’d also like to welcome Dominique LeJeune aboard; we love over-achieving multi-taskers. With her involvement with Community Records (whose annual Block Party Dominique gives us the inside scoop on) and WTUL, in addition to creating her own music, she’s going to fit right in. One thing I’m especially proud of this month is our wealth of performing contributors, from Gary Mader, who talked with Buzz Osborne of the Melvins, to our friends Musa, J Yuenger, Rusty Lazer, Rory Callais and Drew Stephan, who broke down their SXSW experiences. We even got Theresa Andersson involved as our guest advice columnist, which just goes to show that ANTIGRAVITY is not a bunch of bench warmers! I also want to give a special shout-out to our distro team, who better eat their Wheaties this month: we’re 8 pages longer than last month (Those pills really work, nyuk nyuk!) Great music and great times await, so give this issue a spin and then get out there. Don’t forget the sunscreen. –Dan Fox, Editor in Chief
