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Drunken Slashpine interview, with jokes on Katie Holmes and inner darkness
Earlier this week, we braved torrential rains and knee-deep floods to stop by Radio-Active Records. Owner Mikey Ramirez and Mothersky's Richard Vergez are DJing County Grind Live this Saturday at Green Room. Secretly, the goal of our visit to the store was to uncover what songs they'll be playing at our metal showcase. Of course, we assumed they'd be leaving their Debbie Deb and Katy Perry back at Radio-Active, but turns out, they're totally bringing this crap. And spinning it too!
We kid. Debbie Deb isn't crap, and it's unclear whether Mikey or Richard even owns a Katy Perry album. Anyway, these dudes will actually be bringing darkness to the turntables, taking cues from the three bands performing: Holly Hunt, Slashpine, and Shroud Eater. After the jump, get a sample of what records Radio-Active will be toting with them downtown this weekend.
King Crimson - "21st Century Schizoid Man"
Mikey describes these leaders of prog rock as "embryonic
psych-metal that influenced thousands of bands. Thirty-plus years later, this
track still sounds as fresh as anything Electric Wizard has laid to
tape."
1,000 Homo DJs - "Supernaut"
"Although no
one can improve anything from Black Sabbath's golden era, this Al
Jourgensen and company cover version adds just the right amount of
industrial flair to transform the track into a repetitive metallic
rage." Mikey says of this Ministry side project.
Godflesh - "Like Rats"
"While everyone
else was exercising in speed wars, Justin Broadrick and G.C. Greene
slowed it down and added a drum machine, much to the dismay of Napalm
Death obsessives," Mikey points out. "Lo-fi and as brutal as the first wave of Swans. The
bass drum felt like a cannon to the chest."
Helmet - "In the Meantime"
"Hailing
from the Lower East Side alongside underground luminaries such as Cop
Shoot Cop and Foetus. They may have looked like executives at Sports
Authority, but Paige Hamilton and crew delivered the goods when it came
to perfecting the 'low end' approach," Mikey notes. "This song is always on my iPod
for a workout, especially when running up a bridge."
Slayer - "Reign in Blood"
And finally, of this Slayer song, Mikey says: "No explanation is necessary. It's sacrilege if you neglect this track. The anthem for all that is metal."