‘People think this state is a bunch of mountain man ski bums living in the forest with our animal friends’

Junior’s Cave, an online indie music magazine, just published a Nuts + Berries interview, I talk about the concept of laptop punk, why DFA Records and the Talking Heads are a big inspiration to me, and how the rest of the world looks at Colorado.

We also discussed how online music services like Tunecore, Sonicbids and Dropcards are changing the industry and creating room for acts like Nuts + Berries. Enjoy.

Infinite sadness

Last week marked the first time since 1994 that the Smashing Pumpkins played Colorado and I didn’t go.

I saw them at Red Rocks last year and it was lackluster. Way too many 15-minute prog metal jams and too few actual songs (and I’d have been happy with new or obscure songs). I think the new version of the band stumbles because it doesn’t understand the Pumpkins’ core strengths — killer guitars, yes, but also unforgettable melodies. So I didn’t lose much sleep over missing their show at the Ogden Theater last week, because reviews of the current tour have been pretty ugly.

There was one song from the Ogden setlist, though, that almost made me wish I’d gone: a Mellon Collie-era b-side called Medellia of the Grey Skies. I’ve never seen them do this one live. Luckily, it turned up on YouTube. I posted the link below.