URB x Coachella x Vans Present CAMP

Coachella Music & Arts Festival 2010

*Free

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home and sweaty low on oxygen high on octane furious momentum euphoric smiling faces beautiful motion free flowing energies between us all one people under a canvas groove. camping with lasers.

Karl Hyde (Underworld) on Coachella

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Photograph by Raymond L Roker

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Thank You: Vans, Leo Nitzberg, Dani Lindstrom, Stacy Vee, The Mangler, Kurt Soto, Doug Palladini, Jeremy Taylor, Tommy Davis, Karl Walter, Eric Fleming, Jeff Anderson, Steve Malins, Liz Miller, Steve Martin, Will Hubbard, Monica Seide, Russell Ward, Sioux Zimmerman, Amy Meyers, Shalyce Benfell, Brady Brock, Joseph Conner, Michael Moses, Julians Plotkin, Alexandra Greenberg, Michael Rocchio, Ian Brennan. Darlene Roker, Matt Lovejoy, Keri Lee, Courtney and the entire camping staff, Serena Flowers and General Store crew, Vince Bannon, Justin, Unkle Robbie, Don Glover and Dick Knob too.

*courtesy of Getty Images

Images: Rony Alwin (ronysphotobooth.com), Michael Buckner*, Kristin Burns (kristinburns.com), Todd Cooper (jasontoddcooper. com), Regal D (myspace.com/r3galdee), Kristian Dowling*, Marco Espinoza*, Charley Gallay*, Clay Gardner (claygardnerphoto. com), Rick Gershon*, Mamiko Inoue (mamiko.nu), Michael Ivankay (flickr.com/ivankay), Jeff Kravitz*, Andrew Krelle (flickr.com/street-hound), Kevin Mazur*, Maarten Mooijman (mmpicture.nl), Estevan Oriol (estevanoriol.com), Joe Richards (mainlined.org), Aaron Richter (aaronrichter.com), Raymond L. Roker (raymondroker.com), Caesar Sebastian (caesarsebastian. com), John Shearer*, Alex Surguladze (accrobeau.blogspot. com), Dianna Tai (flickr.com/deestai), Drew Thomas, Nate Utesch (nateutesch.com), Erik Voake (erikvoake.com), Karl Walter*, Travis Williams (traviswphotography.com), Dan Wilton (danwilton.co.uk), Doug Wojciechowski (flickr.com/digidug), Andrei Zarnoveanu (flickr.com/andrei83)

Words: Erin Broadly, Daiana Feuer, Joshua Glazer, Lara Kelley, David Ma, Dave Madden, The Retrospective, Richard Thomas, Michael Vazquez

Printing

( flickr.com/15099999@N07/) I Trend Offset Printing

Cover image I Dave Bullock (davebullock.com) Back Cover Image I Brendan Luna

Contact I media@urb.com Letters to CAMP I camp@urb.com

8205 Santa Monica Blvd #1-398 West Hollywood CA 90046-5912

CAMP is hand crafted for Coachella by URB Magazine / NativeSon Media, Inc.

Concept I Paul Tollett, Skip “Wings” Paige, Bill Fold

Creative Director I Raymond Leon Roker Editor I Joshua Glazer Assistant Editor I Richard Thomas Contributing Editor I Michael Vazquez Editorial Assistant I Areti Sakellaris Production Management I rivasgrafix

Camp: Vol. One No. 1

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Los Angeles, CA 90036

5750 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 501

(c) 2010 Goldenvoice/AEG Live

Campers Guide Early Artists Thom Yorke Boyz Noise Sleighbells Coachella 1999 The Do Lab Jason Bentley Peanut Butter Wolf Paul Tao Rony Alwin John Waters Richie Hawtin Gary Numan On Camping 10 Years Of Coachella Coachella By The Numbers Mike Patton Bassnectar Rusko The Glitch Mob LA Musicians

April 2010

Photograph by TRAVIS WILLIAMS

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authentic HARDCORE ICON,

AUTHOR, SPOKEN WORD PERFORMER AND LA RADIO PERSONALITY HENRY ROLLINS TRADES HIS SOAPBOX FOR A SHOE BOX TO TALK ABOUT HIS FIRST PAIR OF VANS, AND WHY HE WON’T RETREAD THE SAME MUSICAL PATH. Interview by Joshua Glazer Photography by Estevan Oriol

Do you remember your first pair of Vans?

Yeah. Back in those days you had to order them through the mail. I still have one of my blue and whitestriped Vans shoeboxes. I used to use them to store cassettes and stuff.

We would call the Van Doren store and say, “I want to get size 11, black on the front, orange in the middle and black on the back,” and they’d write it all down.

You’d go to 7-11 and get a money order, send it in, and six weeks later, magically, there’s your Vans. You had this very close relationship with this shoe company because you had to call. You could not fi nd these shoes in stores. We saw them on people’s feet looking at skateboard magazines, and I think it was Ian MacKaye who said, “Well, here’s their number.” All the cool East Coast kids, we worshiped all those Dogtown photographs and looked at those magazines until the pages fell apart. Vans was a huge part of that, and when you had your Vans on, you were that guy. You had the look. We would buy matching Vans, me and all these guys from my neighborhood, so we all looked like we had a thing going.

How many pairs do you think you owned over the course of your life?

I have no idea. When I stopped skating all the time they certainly had a lot more wear-time, because skating would wear shoes out and the sweat would eat through the canvas. Later on, I started using the other kind of Vans—the old school ones that have a little longer shelf life than just the normal cloth ones—but those eventually wore out too. They don’t last forever.

Do you still wear them frequently?

Oh, every night on stage. I’ve been traveling around the world on my own and I walk through a lot of environments where there are hypodermics and garbage all over, and you don’t always know what you’re stepping down onto, so I use boots for that. On stage every night I wear Vans, but on the streets, for the last few months, I’ve been wearing boots.

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You do the KCRW show on Saturday, right? Do you ever think, “Nobody’s listening this week because everybody’s at the concert.”

(Laughs) Absolutely.

Is it a challenge to go to an environment like that and do your speaking thing?

Yeah, you have to hit it a little harder and be a little bigger on a stage just to deal with the fact that someone’s watching you from 25 yards away, as well as 25 feet away. It’s hard on the voice.

Do you see yourself ever coming back and doing musical stuff on stage, or do you think the speaking thing is where we’re gonna find you indefinitely?

The thing that keeps me away from doing music, really, is the necessity of having to do older material on stage.

Yesterday on VH1 we were watching The Who play the Roundhouse. I like The Who and I respect Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend as much as anyone, but it was not good. They can’t sing anymore. It’s not because these men are untalented, but it’s over. That, to me, is nothing John Coltrane or Duke Ellington would have ever done, and these are the people and influences I take my cues from. I do not seek to repeat.

I’m not putting it down. I just don’t want to be that guy.

What about new music?

That interests me, but what I don’t want to do is make new music with old associates because I don’t think there’s anything there. I’m interested in new music with new people, certainly. Music I’m not over, but the ritual of having to go out and play old stuff. I went out there in 2006 and did that, and we brought a lot of smiles to a lot of faces, but it didn’t necessarily bring a smile to my face.

Where have you been going?

In the three months before this new tour started I was in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Brunei, Asia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, China, Senegal and Mali.

Henry Rollins speaking engagements:

This is all for spoken word tours?

No, this is just me on my own with a backpack and a camera. I travel all over the world by myself for long periods of time.

Sat., June 5 ~ Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theatre

How does Coachella compare to other festivals?

I thought it was a very well-run festival. Consistently, every year, the Coachella festival has a whole bunch of bands you really want to see, so it’s not surprising to me that the event is very popular. During the weekend of Coachella, if you’re driving on the streets of LA, it is noticeably quieter.

Fri., June 11 ~ Los Angeles, CA Largo

Thu., June 3 ~ Sacramento, CA Crest Theatre Fri., June 4 ~ Fresno, CA Tower Theater

Sun., June 6 ~ San Luis Obispo, CA Downtown Brew Tue., June 8 ~ San Francisco, CA Herbst Theater

Sat., June 12 ~ Los Angeles, CA Largo

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crew view

Coachella is a lot more than the musicians on stage.

Meet a few of the staff who make the weekend work.

Photo by Mamiko inoue

Name: Keri Lee Job: Campgrounds Director Years working Coachella: 7 Fave Part Of Your Job: The positive feedback from the campers is amazing. We’re their home environment, so creating the experience is key.

Playtime Because 12 hours of world class music isn’t always enough, the Coachella campgrounds offers ways to stay busy beyond taking another shower al fresco.

PINBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Flipper fanatics can get their fix at this arcade of classic pinball machines like Time Machine, Star Trek and Firepower. Free play before noon and after 8PM. Top scorers win VIP passes, Coachella merch and other prizes in afternoon competition play. No naked wizards please. Located near the club house.

BASSFACE CAMPING SESSIONS The music doesn’t stop because the concert ends. These latenight sessions offer some of the world’s finest low-end practitioners, including Mary Anne Hobbs from the UK and LA’s own Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, Daedelus and more. Just follow the thump. Friday and Saturday from 9pm - 3am.

Name: Samson Job: Security Director Years working Coachella: 10 Fave Part Of Your Job: It’s a toss up between the ninjas I work with and the people that come to see the show. Although, it’s nothing like The Gathering! survival tip: Couldn’t do it without pineapple juice and V8. Keeps me going!

C’mon!

Name: Dirk Alton Job: Best Beverage Catering - Master Concessionaire / Beer & Food Guy Years working Coachella: 11 Fave Part Of Your Job: I love breaking records in my industry and working with a great team within my company and all the other staff working on the show. It doesn’t hurt that I love music and the bands that Paul books. I also like to party with Skip!

Name: Serena Flowers Job: Director of General Stores Years working Coachella: 8 Fave Part Of Your Job: Our job is to make festival attendees feel the Coachella experience. The first night it’s all about flashlights, cigs, lighters, tents, sleeping bags, cheetos and, awe ya...lots of ice.

Name: Guess

DOWN & DERBY Why walk when you can roll. Take a spin on the vintage outdoor rink where you can roll bounce to classic tunes from the ’70s and ‘80s. You’ll feel like you’re back in middle school, except, ya know, camping in the desert. 10PM to 3AM, Thu-Sat., $5/hr.

COACHELLA ART STUDIOS Take home a souvenir that’s not a T-shirt, a ticket stub, or a nasty sunburn. Create your own felt friends, animal masks, shredded tees, paper bag mushrooms or personal ’zine. You can even craft your own instrument and start practicing to play the main stage someday. Located next to the general store. 10AM-1PM, 12AM-2AM.

Matinée The music might start on Friday for everyone else, but campers get a jump on the party with this Thursday late-night session presented by 1107 Events. DJs Le Castle Vania, 12th Planet, Franki Chan and more deliver the first beats of 2010.

9PM-3AM.

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First Class

Safari tents take camping to the A/C extreme You’ve come a long way baby. That pup tent you dragged to Coachella a few years ago has evolved into a serious custom dwelling that is the envy of all the campers parked around you. But there is always a step up in elegance, and for those intent on attending Coachella with no restrictions, the Safari Tents are an experience like no other.

The Shikar-style tent is a tent in name only.

Premium décor, comfortable bedding and air conditioning make this shelter as nice as the desert’s finest hotels. And unlike the distances traveled back to Palm Springs civilization, the Coachella Safari tents are located backstage, giving residents unparalleled access to the places only bands and their managers, girlfriends, roadies, music journalists, drug dealers and mothers have gone before.

Lost Ones Tales of Coachella travels

WE INTERRUPT YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED CONCERT EXPERIENCE TO BRING YOU THIS SPECIAL EPISODE OF “LOST” STARRING...YOU!

by Michael Vazquez Your turn to order a chicken kebab finally comes, you reach for your wallet/purse...and it’s not there!

Like that white flash on “Lost,” you are now in a parallel universe where nothing makes sense.

Enter Coachella’s lost & found team, who handles the heart-stopping crises that strike mortal fear in concert goers. Just remain calm, and listen to the advise of manager Dani Lindstrom. Your crisis is her business.

CELL PHONES “With cell phones, we get the number of the phone, leave a voice mail, call the last numbers in and out, and even call Mom. We have gone so far as to call the cell provider to have them contact the customer at an alternate number.”

WALLETS & PURSES “We will look up people on Facebook and MySpace, or we will call the dental appointment card or the car insurance card so they can get a hold of the owner to get the wallet back. We do not randomly send items to the address on the ID because people often move without updating that.”

they are the only person in the world who lost that model, but we often get multiples of the same camera.

So if the camera has pics from your trip to Japan, you better mention that. Or have pics of yourself on the camera. We even recommend taking a picture of your contact information.”

KEYS “The onsite locksmith checks with me regularly in case he gets someone who needs a key made, and he’ll know if we have that brand of key at our booth. For rental car keys, we usually are able to return those to the company so the customer gets refunded any lost key fee.”

FUN FACTS: Largest sum ever returned: “Over $1,000 in one guy’s bag was found and returned to him a couple of weeks after the festival. People are shocked and stoked when the money is still there.”

Weirdest thing ever lost and claimed: “A kid, or a diamond bracelet.”

Weirdest thing ever lost and not claimed: “A stuffed Elmo hat.”

CAMERAS

Weirdest thing ever lost and not claimed, but righteously returned to the best possible alternative: “Someone turned in a turtle at the Phish concert we did last Halloween. He was set free in the lake after consulting a turtle expert and a pet store owner who coincidentally were onsite.”

“People must identify non-festival pictures since we do get the occasional dirt bags trying to claim other peoples’ cameras. Everyone who loses a camera thinks

Time until unclaimed items are donated to charity: Three months.

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Wale

Olubowale Folarin started getting attention when “Dig Dug (Shake It)” became the most requested song by a local artist in D.C. radio history. The young Wale backs his lyrical acrobatics with a hip-hop interpretation of D.C. gogo music, the percussion heavy disco funk style best delivered by a full band heavy on congas and brass. His debut, Attention: Deficit, included visits by Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Gucci Mane, Dr. Dre and Mark Ronson. A fun, natural performer, Wale flexes clever, adroitly delivered wordplay, a bit of moralizing, some punch line-laden rhymes, and sharp-witted freestyle skills.

Early Risers

Grammy nominations and topped charts on most continents that experience the low-end fusion. Live percussion and turntables forge a balance between traditional and modern sounds, and bass is the place where rootsy forms collide. These are futuristic, babymaking slow jams.

Zoé

Despite lyrics that are mostly in Spanish, Zoé’s sound is built on the bread, butter and Looking for a reason to get out of your tent (besides the brutal jam of Britpop and American grunge. The band’s 16 years worth of award-winning temperature)? Here’s a special selection of acts taking to the albums helped popularize droney bass lines Coachella stages early in the day. by Daiana Feuer and shoegaze-layered guitar across the border, but their music remained mostly unGirls returns to Coachella after the jaw-dropping reception of the band’s debut, Album, which available in the United States until recent years. Love, science fiction and the journey of life receive featured 12 bloodletting ballads about a soul-searching heartbreaker that is equal parts Buddy the psychedelic treatment.

Holly, Neil Young and Ariel Pink. Songwriter Christopher Owens grew up in the hippie-turnedextremist cult Children Of God, absorbing forbidden music through the movies he managed to get his hands on. Rebellion led Owens astray to rock and roll, cross-country travels, lovers and Singer Yukimi Nagano’s temper earned her the nickname Little Dragon, which the band addrugs. He met Girls co-founder JR White in San Francisco, where he unleashed this charmed opted for its own. Over time, they created a mythology to describe its upbeat soul pop sound. co-mingling of surf, noise, ‘50s and sing-along psychedelia.

They say the Little Dragon is a powerful beast but light as a feather, controlled by electronic beats that make it dance in its sleep. The sparse rhythms hold Yukimi’s sexy, laidback vocals with just enough snap to get you swinging. Then a song suddenly notices a bush full of Samba, dub, jazz and hip-hop surely find their intersections, but the result isn’t always as smooth electronic birds chirping or an underwater horn solo, takes a good look at the cute robots, and or tingly as the breeze Ceu’s music casts over her listeners. The Brazilian singer has earned Latin continues on its merry way.

Girls

Little Dragon

Ceu

(l-r) Zoé, P.O.S., Talvin Singh, Deer Tick, Beach House

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Dianna Tai

(l-r) Wale, Girls, Aterciopelados, Little Dragon, DJ Craze & Klever

Craze & Klever

DMC scratch champions Klever and Craze enjoy a little friendly battle when they embark on tour. Craze is a long-standing Miami fixture, while Klever weaves his tattooed web over Atlanta. After competing against each other for nearly 10 years, the pair released the now classic Scratch Nerds and formed the Allies crew with turntable ace A-Trak. Breakbeats squeal and moan beneath the twists and cuts delivered by each DJ’s uncanny hand tricks as they recompose hip-hop, electro, rock and booty records. Expect the unexpected mash-up and dizzying finger flexibility.

Aterciopelados

This Colombian rock group, led by Andrea Echeverri and Héctor Buitrago, is so badass that the United Nations gave them guitars constructed from machine guns. These gifts were bestowed for the band’s efforts to use rock music to clean up their country’s violent streets. Latin Grammy and Premio Lo Nuestro winners, Aterciopelados have gotten people shaking their asses for social justice since 1990. It’s worth finding out why Time named them one of the top ten contemporary global bands of our era.

P.O.S.

Backed by Rhymesayers and a founding member of Minnesota rap collective Doomtree, P.O.S. raises experimental rock influenced beats on live instruments. More concerned with storytelling than rhyming diamonds and champagne, P.O.S.’s urgent, bouncy cadence hovers between 2Pac and Zach de la Rocha. Skateboarders enjoy the live drums and bass, while underground hip-hop fans can admire the lyricist’s sharp, natural flow.

Talvin Singh

Here’s what happens when you grow up playing the tabla, breakdancing, and listening to punk.

A music theorist, record producer and DJ, Singh is the Mercury Music Prize -winning founder of the Asian Underground movement who studied tabla with Indian masters in the ‘80s while exploring experimental music with cosmic jazz philosopher Sun Ra. Singh invented the Tablatronic, a hybrid electronic/analog tabla drum that magnifies his maniacal, free jazz finger tapping. His digits move as if typing a story.

Deer Tick

Music, brews and girls wearing cowboy boots is all Deer Tick asks of the world. The band grew up in Rhode Island and must have gotten lost in the Appalachians, a tale which is recounted with folk-rock frankness and country rhythm, though there’s a grunge kick whenever things wake up from a moonshine hangover. Live, Deer Tick revels in wilder moments, often tossing confetti or beer on the first row. Be warned.

Beach House

Behind bangs and shadows inside some dank Baltimore bar, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally write dreamy, narcotizing pop songs that border on romantic gospel doo-wop. Legrand’s voice cradles her notes like opiated lullabies that Scally tucks into bed with his slippery, sliding guitar. For the duo’s third album, Teen Dream, Beach House shacked up at a converted church in upstate New York for a month practicing telepathic intimacy. They picked up a few ghosts, recharged their ethereal batteries, and even snuck in a few tunes that encourage dancing, not just drooly relaxation. * Grab the Coachella mobile app or the online Coachooser and make your schedule

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Photography by JOHN SHEARER

THE LEAD SINGER of an arenafilling band and figurehead for the climate change group The Big Ask, THOM YORKE is quick to lend his talents to anything he believes in. He’s

Thom Yorke —The Eraser/Spitting Feathers EP Often called Kid A part two, Yorke’s 2006 solo album combines his aforementioned production methods with themes ranging from sensual (“I want to eat your artichoke heart,” from “Atoms for Peace”) to the enigmatic death of former Ministry of Defense employee David Kelly (“Harrowdown Hill”). Less immediate, “Spitting Feathers” explores territories charted by eccentric, late ’90s IDM electronica. (2006) Liars – “Proud Evolution” (Thom Yorke 500qd Remix)

also an artist with a diverse musical palette who has been known to work fastidiously on projects after hours in his bedroom with a drum machine, piano, guitar and a copy of Cubase. Here is a smattering of Yorke’s non-Radiohead oeuvre.

by Dave Madden

Tour mates for a set of 2008 Radiohead shows, Yorke’s appreciation of Liars extends to this remix, found on the deluxe version of their Sisterhood disc. Neutering the track’s spaced-out openness, Yorke feeds Angus Andrew’s Waitsesque vocal with pulsing organ drones, twitchy blips and synthy squeals. (2010)

Sparklehorse ( ft. Thom Yorke) – “Wish You Were Here” With the recent passing of Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous, this cover of the Pink Floyd classic (from Essential Interpretations - Today’s Great Artists Perform Yesterday’s Classics) seems only fitting. Yorke delivers his portion of vocals via hotel landline, allowing transient television voices to seep into the mix. (1997) Velvet Goldmine Soundtrack Under the name Venus in Furs, Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, London Suede’s Bernard Butler, David Gray and Andy Mackay cover several Roxy Music tracks. Yorke sings on “2HB,”

“Ladytron” and “Bitter-Sweet” for this exaggerated history of ’70s glam rock and the partially-fictitious account of Bowie and Iggy Pop’s relationship. (1998)

UNKLE – “Rabbit In Your Headlights” Forever associated with the hobo-in-the-Interstate-tunnel video, the song combines Yorke’s seething callousness (“fat bloody fingers are sucking your soul away”), DJ Shadow’s dusty grooves, and James Lavell’s samples from Jacob’s Ladder. Driving piano chords provide counterpoint to the initial smoky jazz, eventually soaring into a swelling, headnodding cloud. (1998) Björk – “I’ve Seen It All” Yorke pairs up with Björk for the single from Selmasongs, the soundtrack to Lars von Trier misery porn Dancer in the Dark.

With heart-tugging orchestra and percussion loops formed from railway yard recordings, they debate practicality versus grandeur, oscillating between the roles of optimist and realist: “What about China, have you seen the Great Wall? / All walls are great if the roof doesn’t fall.” (2000) MF DOOM – “Gazzillion Ear” (Thom Yorke Remix) From DOOM’s Born Like This album, the remix eschews Dilla’s blazed, Ethiopiques-inspired production for supple, just-out-of-tune wallpaper synths and Yorke’s spooky hums.

A surreal juxtaposition to the lyric “It be seeming like a style / DOOM leave the competition steamin’ like a pile.” (2009)

Thom Yorke – “Hearing Damage”

Decoding the Discography

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Sandwiched between Band of Skulls and Lykke Li, the song is Yorke’s contribution to The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack. (Yes, now your little sister and mom know the name “Thom Yorke”). Buzzing bass, skipping rhythms and foggy effects (ahem) enshroud his metaphors about losing grip on certainty. Especially appropriate while running from wolf packs. (2009)

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EVERY YEAR, dozens of bootlegs from

7. Bloc Party “Banquet” (Boys Noize Remix) (a cappella)

16. Daft Punk “Steam MaChine” (Boys Noize Looped A cappella) / Rockwell “Somebodys Watching You” (Boys Noize Loop) / Thomas Bangalter “Spinal Beats”

Coachella appear online. We asked BOYS NOIZE

Always fitted in the break of my track “Feel Good TV=Off.” I finished the Bloc Party remix in 2004, but no one was interested in it until it got released two years later.

to listen to an audience recording of his epic 2007

8. Modeselektor “Black Block”

I prefer everything that Thomas did alone. Those three tracks together mixed was another jam of mine. I had to be very fast and very precise with the looping that I always do live.

and break it down song-by-song. Find the set

I thought it was cool to feature my buddies from Berlin, as they were playing Coachella as well.

17. Maurice “This is Acid” (Boys Noize Loop)

online and see if you can follow along.

9. Proxy “Raven” Proxy sent me this one a day after he finished it, so I played this “test version” of this track that became one of the biggest in 2008.

Wow, I forgot about this mix too. I looped that second in this classic original and put it on top of “Spinal Beats.” I played this from vinyl, of course. When I listen to this, I’m thinking that it’s a bit unfair that DJs now can do all the looping and edits without much effort or knowing how to beat match.

I stole this siren intro from a Depeche Mode song. Every now and then I like this for my intro.

10. Boys Noize feat. I-Robots “Frau” (a cappella)

18. Boys Noize “Arcade Robot”

2. Boys Noize “& Down”

11. Shadow Dancer “Soap”

19. Justice “Phantom” (Boys Noize Turbine Remix)

Shadow Dancer is one artist on my label BNR and this was the demo I was testing at that time as well. I still love it so much. This guy is so talented, check out the album Golden Traxxe!

I think this remix defines the sound of 2007/2008. I did two remixes and Ed Banger released the other one, so this one was my secret weapon. People still want to hear it, but I just can’t play it anymore.

I just looped the a cappella in the beginning of the this track.

I thought it was a good transition to my the next song.

12. Boys Noize “OH” Another big BN hit [wink, wink]. I’ve edited it live a bit too.

20. Boys Noize “My Head” (a cappella) / “My Head” (Para One Remix)

4. Boys Noize “Lava Lava”

13. Boys Noize “Kill The Kid”

Another live mix I was doing. Para One’s remix was so good that I asked him again to remix my new track, “Jeffer.”

I had to be very fast to mix in this one into the loop a cappella. I remember Xavier from Justice was saying that he loves this track so much because you can actually play it with a live band too! I still don’t know how that is possible?!

One of my early releases on my label in 2006. I was surprised that everyone knew it. It was released at the time when there was no blogs, MySpace, etc...vinyl only. I can’t believe how fresh this track still sounds. I have to play it again now!

5. Boys Noize “Feel Good TV=Off ”

14. Michael Jackson “Thriller” (a cappella)

This is an older track released in 2005. The vocals are from Prince. Since he was playing at the same night, I was hoping he’d come and hear how I messed around with his vocals.

I looped the “This is Michael Jackson,” piched it down and up, and made the loop shorter. This was my jam for some time. When everyone went nuts I dropped...

22. Feist “My Moon My Man” (Boys Noize A cappella) + (Boys Noize Remix)

6. Drop the Lime “This Is The Way” (a cappella)

15. Teenage Bad Girl “Cocotte” (Boys Noize Remix)

*

This was quite spontaneous, as it was on the same a cappella CD as...

BIG moment! I remember I did this crazy break where the tempo changes and stuff.

1. Intro

I was doing a live edit of this song, and when the beat came in I knew this show was going to be a very special one because 10,000 people started to loose their minds!

3. High Powered Boys “Hoes Get Down”

Yeah, I like to put a cappellas on other tracks.

One of my favorite tracks off of Oi Oi Oi.

21. Prodigy “Breath” (Loop) / Boys Noize “Beats 1” Another live loop I did, plus beats—actually a live remix! I pitched it up and down and added my “Beats 1.” I have to make a track out of these beats. I forgot it until now.

This is a good way to finish a set. Something for the ladies.

- Mixed live by Boys Noize on four CD-Js and two turntables at Coachella 2007

Photography by CAESAR SEBASTIAN

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Photography by AARON RICHTER

CAMPFIRES may be a no-no on the Coachella campgrounds, but that doesn’t mean a good ghost story is completely out of order. We asked Derek Miller of Brooklyn buzz band and Coachella virgins Sleighbells to help us tell a good ghost story, Mad Libs style.

There once was an old man who lived way out in Pahokee, FL. One night, while walking his panther, he smelled a (animal)

(place)

strange pack of Twizzlers coming from behind the trees. He began to dagger (it’s a verb) in that direction, harshly (verb)

(singular thing)

(adverb)

stepping so not to make any sound.

As he stepped closer, he could detect the smell of fat back (pig product) and it made him simple. Still, he went (something that smells)

(adjective)

closer, and the dry smell made him cough frantically. The dry ground beneath him began to smash while the wind destroyed.

(adjective)

(verb)

(past tense verb)

He could feel the smell was close now, and he kissed his eyes to see better in the dark. He saw something (past tense verb)

hanging beautifully in the moonlight. To his horror, it was his plump panther hanging dead from the tree. He looked (adverb)

down at the leash in his hand, as it hung empty.

(adjective)

(same animal)

Mad Lib Games

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4/11/10 10:56 PM

Coachella wasn’t the only thing that began in 1999...

birth right

The Euro

Fifty-odd years after a war that nearly destroyed the continent, our friends across the pond flexed their collective economic muscle while the wallets of American tourists wasted away.

Napster

Spawned from the minds of a few college students, the idea that you could download whatever music you wanted, whenever you wanted, shook the recording industry at its core.

Family Guy

Yanked from Fox in 2001 after three seasons, Family Guy’s adolescent energy and juvenile humor wound up as a DVD bestseller. Renewed in 2004 to fan acclaim and critical disdain, the Griffith family continues to court controversy and gain viewers.

Upper Playground

From humble beginnings, UP is responsible for a new artistic renaissance backed by the work of artists like Sam Flores, David Choe and Ricky Powell, while stretching its retail businesses into London, New York and Mexico.

The Matrix

Combining an Alice in Wonderland fantasy with stunning special effects, The Matrix sent the masses flocking to theaters to join Neo in his world of slick trench coats and transportive landlines.

LRG

Ten years after selling out their initial clothing run in their first day at the ASR Expo—Lifted Research Group continues to stand as the flagship clothing brand of a hip-hop generation.

Britney Spears

Sporting a plaid mini-skirt and perky pigtails,, this one-time Mouseketeer defined the pop zeitgeist and blurred the lines between sex and innocence in an all-too-typical Hollywood story.

SpongeBob SquarePants

Colorful and cuddly for the pre-school crowd but subversive enough for the adults who watched with them, SpongeBob became pop dynamo for an entire generation.

Def Jux

Newly sprung from his contract at Rawkus and flush with Company Flow fame, El-P and aspiring journalist Amaechi Uzoigwe made history with their formation of the Def Jux. After a legal challenge from Def Jam forced a name change to Definitive Jux, the label built a reputation as a leader in intelligent and progressive hip-hop.

by The rEtrospective

Illustration by Nate Utesch

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4/11/10 10:57 PM

Can’t decide? Ask an expert

coachoosers Paul Tao (Owner, IAMSOUND)

forward-thinking electronic musicians around. I haven’t seen him play for about a year, so I’m way overdue.

Fever Ray - I saw Fever Ray perform in LA last year, and it was definitely one of the most unique shows I’ve ever seen. Every part was choreographed to the tee. They must have practiced it more times than I can count, and I’m not even mentioning the lasers involved (ridiculous). To imagine what Fever Ray will try and do in a festival appearance gives me a headache.

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Normally I wouldn’t put much faith into such a novice performer, but with a pedigree like hers and the backing that she has, I bet it’ll be amazing.

Dillinger Escape Plan - DEP are a staple from my more hardcore musical past, and I will never, ever deny that they are one of the most raucous and energetic live shows I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

Sleigh Bells - I saw these guys play twice this year at SXSW: once in a Coachella-sized tent opening for Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and the other in a tiny club packed to the gills with devoted SB fans. Both were fantastic.

Florence and the Machine - I saw her at Reading Festival in the UK last year, and the way her voice carries is just extraordinary. I’m excited for Americans to finally see her in the epic manner that she deserves.

Little Boots - Lasers. Lots of lasers. With the lights and sound that Coachella offers, I can only imagine how overwhelming her live show will be.

Local Natives - My friends and I have seen these guys play tiny venues for a while now. They’re one of the tightest live bands around, so I have complete faith that they’ll rule the crowd.

Flying Lotus - I’m really glad that he is finally gaining notice as one of the most

Rony Alwin (photographer, RonysPhotoBooth.com) La Roux – Her voice is amazing. I can’t miss that.

Whitest Boy Alive – I always listen to them around the house. I love the song “Burning.” I hope they play at sunset.

Muse - I’ve never seen them and always wanted to. I’ve heard they’re great live. I hope they play some earlier songs off of Showbiz.

Phoenix – Can’t wait to jump up and down to “1901.” I love the videos of them playing it

acoustic on the street of Paris. I hope they do some songs like that at Coachella.

Devo – I’m so excited to see them with their silly red hats. I hope they play “Big Mess.”

De La Soul – Legends.

Echo & The Bunnymen – They have so many good songs, but to see them play “The Killing Moon” would be surreal.

Jay-Z – It will be nice to hear some hip-hop.

I’m sure there will be a lot of energy and some surprise guest.

Photography by Rony Alwin

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Peanut Butter Wolf (DJ, producer, owner Stones Throw) Sly Stone - In my top five of all time. The Riot album started the whole lo-fi thing. It sounded so warm, and it shows why auto-tune and American Idol-type singing is not needed and not pleasing to the ear.

P.I.L. - The Metal Box/Second Edition album is incredible.

I discovered that one around 1985 and never looked back.

I actually wore a P.I.L. shirt to Coachella last year. I’d like to meet Johnny Rotten so I could punch him in the face, or have him punch me in mine.

Mayer Hawthorne - I’ve seen him plenty of times, but am pissed that I missed him on Jimmy Kimmel and at SXSW opening for Smokey Robinson because I had my own gigs. Gotta make this one.

Jason Bentley (Music Director, KCRW) Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Considering home court advantage and a steady surge in popularity, this neo-hippie collective is poised to cap off a banner year with a stellar Coachella performance.

Fever Ray - I still regret skipping Fever Ray’s shows in LA a few months back, but you can be sure I won’t miss their sinister sci-fi musings under the desert stars this year.

Jónsi (of Sigur Rós) - With the imagination of Sigur Rós and Riceboy Sleeps to his credit, and a solo album filled with joyful exuberance, I have no doubt Jónsi will deliver something special.

The Specials - The 2 tone/ska movement was crucial to me as a teenager, so the opportunity to hear all time favorites “Gangsters” and “Ghost Town” live is a chance to revisit my rude boy roots that I can’t miss.

MGMT - With a sophomore album made decidedly on their own terms, the pressure is on to turn in a striking performance if we’re expected to follow MGMT bravely into the psychedelic night.

De La Soul - I’ve seen them before, but their catalog is so deep that they don’t have to rely on a couple hit songs to put on a show. They’re the only great hip-hop group left that’s still together and recording albums.

Gary Numan - I was around nine years old when “Cars” came out. I loved that song the first 100 times I heard it, but it was such a big hit that I never followed his later stuff. I revisited it recently and realized he’s done a lot for the advancement of music.

The Specials - In the mid ’80s, I wanted to be Terry Hall. I tried to dress like him and sing with a fake British accent (when I wasn’t programming hip-hop beats on a drum machine.) I even straightened my hair and had a bowl cut during the Fun Boy Three era. I always had my feet planted in both worlds.

Gil Scott-Heron - My uncle Chris took me to see Gil Scott-Heron in the early ’90s at a small jazz club in Oakland. I was excited then and I’m excited now.

Flying Lotus - Even though I’ve known Flying Lotus for many years, the only time I’ve ever seen him live was at The Do Over before he really had any records out. DJ Spinna was standing next to me and we both were like, “I need to get that program he’s using.” He’s come a long way in a short period of time and the whole city of L.A. is proud of him.

The xx - Casting a spell of smoldering intimacy on their debut, it’s a wonder that such quiet sentiments have reportedly elicited shrieks and screams at live shows across the country. Will Coachella behave itself for this British trio? I’ll be there to find out.

Beach House - Layered intensity roils throughout the epic ballads of Beach House, and my sense is that this duo will make a triumphant stand in support of their third album, Teen Dream.

Delphic - The latest group to emerge from the fashion forward Parisian house of Kitsuné, Delphic channel ’90s rave energy with modern alt-rock sensibilities. This band is one to watch this year.

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4/11/10 10:28 PM

All images and artwork courtesy of THE DO LAB (thedolab.com)

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4/12/10 6:35 AM

Live from

the do lab

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4/12/10 6:36 AM

uncharted waters Legendary camp film director John Waters brings his perverted best to Coachella.

by David Ma * Photography by Clay Gardner

“I’m going to give advice on how to be a happy lunatic,” says John Waters, explaining his new routine prepared for this year’s Coachella. He laughed before adding: “I’m going to tell these people how to live your life filthier and dirtier and be happy!”

Waters is more than a filmmaker whose weird, raunchy films shocked audiences in the ’70s. He’s made a career of beautifying strange images while mocking the status quo. At 63, he’s successfully written books, showcases his photographic work, and travels the country speaking on all things unconventional.

Yet the lines of his forays are blurred, connected by an eccentric worldview. “I’m a writer; I write my movies, my books, my lectures, I even write and plan my artwork.

My job is to wake up at 8AM, think of some fucked up things, and sell it by noon.”

This year, he makes his first appearance at Coachella, a rare show that’ll likely confuse and delight onlookers. While having John Waters on the bill might seem odd, it thrills Waters’ himself, a lifelong music lover. His films, notably Hairspray, Pecker, and Pink Flamingos, show his love and use of song. “I write every scene of my films with the music already in mind,” he says, noting that his musical tastes were “completely shaped by Black radio.” He adds, “I’ve always used music as a narrator in my movies.”

From obscure rockabilly tracks to sweet soul, R&B and gutter punk, Water’s films embody the variety he himself loves. As a kid, he admits to having a “serious problem” with shoplifting records, but likens it to music downloading. His describes his favorite genre as “oldies but goodies you’ve never heard of.” When asked what’s in his current rotation, he looked at his iPod and reveals Massive Attack, Outkast, Johnny Cash, and The Royal Tenenbaums Soundtrack.”

Waters’ love of music aided his decision to be part of Coachella’s all-star lineup.

He’s as stoked to see drugged-out ’70s funk king Sly Stone as he is to meet Charlotte Gainsbourg. “I’m going to totally freak out when I see Sly! And Charlotte, I love. I adore her actually. Vampire Weekend! Devo! I can’t wait to see all these fabulous acts!”

For his own performance, Waters will be doing new routines he describes as “spoken word,” for lack of a better term. “I’m doing all new material. It’ll be part stand-up, part advice, part lecture. It’s really a one-man show. People were shocked and asked if I was going to be singing. I said, ‘If I could sing, trust me, I would have exploited it by now!’”

He continues, “Really, it’s rare for them to have someone like me at these sort of festivals. I’m really honored they’d even ask me.”

It might be strange for concert goers to watch a 60-year-old gay man crack penis jokes in the middle of the desert between Grizzly Bear and Flying Lotus, but the funny and often vulgar Waters adds a refreshing touch of color to the lineup.

Rounding out our interview, he proclaimed rather excitedly: “Please come see me! I’m sure I’m the oldest person performing and I’ll probably be the dirtiest and the weirdest! I want to be the first elder you kids have ever seen!

All of you in the middle of the desert, in all that hot weather, come see me! I’ll be the one trying my hardest to resist taking LSD!”

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“I was listening to Tubeway Army’s Replicas album before I even thought about making music.” /Richie Hawtin

Electronic music pioneers Gary Numan and Richie Hawtin make a connection

I’d ever seen. Before the music thing happened for me, that was the car I’d always associated with success, and if I ever made it, then that would be the car that I’d want.

Sure enough, I got one. It symbolized everything to me.

Moderated by Richard Thomas

One became famous singing about the asocial sanctity of cars, while the other built up a techno empire within the abandoned shells of the auto industry’s manufacturing houses. Gary Numan and Richie Hawtin, figureheads in the pantheon of dance music, are set to bring out their Sunday best for Coachella 2010, but CAMP jumped on a line with the two eyeliner-wearing, electronic music progenitors in advance to talk about their similar paths to musical revolution.

CAMP: How familiar were you with what was coming out of Detroit during the late ’80s and early ’90s?

and smoke and flashing lights. Other than these brief meetings, I’ve been well aware of Gary’s music for a long time, since before I was making music myself.

CAMP: Gary, how much of Richie’s stuff are you aware of? I know you’re a longtime electronic music fan.

GN: You’ve got a track called “Packard,” I think? It just strikes a bell with me because my Dad’s got a Packard.

It was one of those things that made my ears prick up.

Richie Hawtin: Sorry I’m a bit late. I’ve been tangled with wires.

Gary Numan: Sounds like my life.

CAMP: Do you two already know each other?

RH: The last time we had a brief meeting was at some UK festival where I either played before or after you in the same tent, but when I think it feels like three years ago, it probably means it was eight years ago.

But it’s always been very brief and in between noise

RH: The very first Plastikman live show was at the old Packard building where they used to build the cars. That’s why I did a track named after one. I did some research, and on one side it’s a dream story gone completely wrong, but if they hadn’t gone bust, I may not have done some of the parties that put me here now, so it’s a bittersweet story.

CAMP: Did you have a particular make and model in mind when you wrote “Cars”?

GN: I did, actually. A white Corvette, only because when I was a kid, it was my dream car. I think I was seven or eight, and it was this most beautiful thing

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GN: I was really unaware of a lot of it, to be honest.

I had issues and problems of my own. I think it’s one of the reasons why my own music went really bad for a while. I just stopped listening and got really into my own worries. Up until then I’d been the opposite. I was listening to everything.

[Success] was like being let loose in the best sweet shop in the world, and then it just started to change. Suddenly it became pressure and big business and I was so unprepared for it. I stopped listening and I got all self-obsessed...self-everything, really. It was rubbish.

There were a number of really big periods over the space of a few years that I just missed completely, and I’m really quite ashamed of it. I think if you are in music, and you do this for a living, the worst thing you can ever do is to shut yourself off from things. It’s the kiss of death, and I deserve to be punched in the head repeatedly because of that.

RH: Well, I think your spirit was alive in Detroit, even if you weren’t aware of it. I wasn’t really into music at a very young age. I got into it in my teenage years, and part of it was going through my dad’s record collection and pilfering a few key things that became influences.

I was listening to Kraftwerk and the Tubeway Army Replicas album before I even thought about making music. Driving through Detroit, listening to those futuristic soundscapes in a decayed, futuristic city, just set the stage for me, and continued years later in places like the Packard building and other warehouses.

DJing and playing music and following on with the rest

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“I’m absolutely obsessed with sound and sound generation.” /Gary Numan

of the Detroit gang trying to look towards the future with this new sound that we were hoping was new.

and being connected to them only by communication devices. That was a personal thing, and also a throwback to an influence from Gary.

GN: What years would that have been?

RH: In about ’86 and ’87 I was going out to Detroit, just listening and starting to DJ. Then by the late ’80s and early ’90s we were doing these crazy warehouse parties— 1,000 people, dark rooms, strobe lights and pure, heavy techno and industrial electronic music.

CAMP: Let’s talk gear for a moment. I know you’re both big gear heads.

RH: I’m in the midst of finishing this Plastikman live project, going back and trying to recreate some of my old songs, as well as create new ones. I’m also using a hell of a lot of plugins in my music creation and in the live show, but it’s how you intermix that new and old technology. I’m a big fan of plugging things in backwards and doing things that the manual doesn’t say or says not to do. Trying to let the machines talk to each other—machines and computers and feedback loops—and trying to create something unique. It’s very easy these days for anyone to get the software, the plugins and the emulations, but it’s how you plug those components together that creates a very personal interaction.

GN: That’s exactly what I mean. It was around ’86 and ’87, right up until about ’94, where I probably had, creatively, the worst period in my life. Some of the music was truly dreadful, and it only came out because the record company said now or never. That whole period, there was so much brilliantly inventive stuff coming along and moving everything forward.

Whatever I’d done with Replicas was taken to much, much better places.

RH: In a way, Detroit was a bit insular and shut away from everything else, too. We were hearing records and music from all over the world, but at the same time, Detroit wasn’t on everyone’s flight path. It was Motor City and it was Motown, but it wasn’t really anything at that moment. Everyone was doing their own thing and it was a little bit like a cottage industry; an automotive factory line of electronic music making.

There was nothing else to really do except party and make music to play at the party. For a lot of people, if you didn’t want to go into the automotive industry, that was your future. Well, it’s not the future now, but music was a way out of that possible future. It’s funny that we ended up using the disused spaces of the same industry we were trying to escape to inspire some of the creation and the music that was happening.

GN: There’s some parallel between what you’re saying and when I was first getting into electronic things in ’78 and ’79. There were a number of us doing it—me, Human League, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark—but only vaguely aware of each other. We all lived in different cities, but everyone seemed to be reacting against the rock thing, the guitar thing, and the punk that had come before. None of us were particularly musical in terms of ability, but all of us had a vision, if you like, of where we wanted our music to go. It was such a miserable face turned on you as soon as you mentioned electronic music. But as soon as it happened, and the public at large got to hear about it, it just exploded. It felt as if the whole country, if not big chunks of the whole world, were waiting for something that was different.

CAMP: Richie, obviously Gary was an influence on you from a sonic standpoint, but what about an aesthetic standpoint? The way his music looked?

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GN: That’s very good!

RH: [Laughs] I didn’t rehearse that.

RH: Looking back at all the things I was listening to, the people I was into had a strong overall presence. It wasn’t just about music. It was about the look. There was a complete artistry involved. If you looked at the album, if you read anything on the album or listened to the lyrics, there was continuity between all the components. That’s what I took from my favorite artists, and that’s probably how I tried to build my record company and definitely Plastikman. It’s very easy to look back on the success of Plastikman and say, “There’s music, there’s a great logo, and there’s the whole personality of who I am.” All that comes together.

CAMP: I went to Plastikman.com this morning.

Gary, not sure if you’re in front of a computer, but the first thing that comes up is a large image of Richie where you’re looking very, dare I say, Numan-esque.

RH: [Laughs] Yeah, that’s a very valid and correct comment. The photo was partly inspired by everyone’s favorite movie, Blade Runner. You know, I was kicked out of America for a while and I did a song called “Are Friends Electrik?” about being away from my friends

GN: I don’t really have any trade secrets, because I don’t think I do anything different from what most other people do that deal in this kind of music. But I think the nature of getting into this kind of music is that you’re always searching for sounds. I’m certainly more into sound than I am into technique. It’s the most fun part of it for me, more than lyrics and more than melody. When I’m starting an album, I spend a couple of months building up a library of brand new sounds that I’ve not heard before, and hopefully no one else has ever heard before. You can have a lyric or a melody that’s quite pretty in isolation, but depending on what sounds you build around it, the whole atmosphere can become completely different. I’m absolutely obsessed with sound and sound generation. You can be in the studio 24 hours and totally lose track of time, just trying this and twiddling that. It’s difficult to know when to stop, because sometimes you’ve actually got to start writing melodies.

RH: [Laughs] Totally. I see a traditional musician or guitarist sit down and start strumming and come up with a tune and being quite happy with that, but where I find my happiness is just sitting there and playing around with your gear and letting things happen.

You find yourself in wonderful places. The best studio sessions and the best songs that come out of electronic music are journeys that you find yourself sucked in.

4/11/10 10:29 PM

on camping “I camped out, once, when I was nine.” These sarcastic italics were delivered by a friend I’d urged to skip the conditioned air of his hotel and live under the stars for a few days. I was surprised, because this cat had a lot of experience in P.L.U.R. (the’90s update to the ’60s “turn-on, tune-in, drop-out”). To me, camping is a natural jumping-off point from what was best in underground culture. After our conversation, he lost some cred as a true bon vivant, which is about more than partying; it’s about embracing life and the freedom that comes when you see the heavens through the apex of your tent, and it hits you: we are all under one sky.

Thinking about the great music festivals of the world where camping is very much a part of the experience, I realize how damn comfortable Coachella is compared to the mud of Glastonbury, the climes of Bonnaroo, or the sandstorms of Burning Man. Trust me, grass beneath your feet and not an inch of rain in ten years is not something you’ll find at other summer gatherings.

My camping experience at Coachella is a myriad of memories. Some are small, like folks gifting me a lighter when I popped out of my tent, fireless, in need of a proper stoning. Some are epic: stopping at my camp just long enough to change shirts, hydrate and head to the photo pit to shoot Paul Weller as Johnny Marr joined him onstage. If I’d had to drive back to a hotel, I would have missed this magical moment. Instead, I was a mere pit-stop away from one of the greatest concert experiences of my life.

So tents can save you time. They also create interesting psychological dynamics, offering vicarious thrills and people watching.

The solitude of a tent is unique: like an eyeball under a lid. No one knows if you’re asleep or awake (although at night, tent silhouettes can be very revealing). But the minimal lines a tent creates are not lines of alienation. Instead, they are the semipermeable membrane of a bubbling society, the architecture of which is created to an admirably human scale. This stripped-down existence also grants us small yet palpable insight beyond what’s immediately around us, into a more empathetic vision of the struggles faced by others, the world over.

As you read this (hopefully inside your tent), there are persons nearly everywhere on this planet with neither sewage nor shelter, wishing they had the sweet tent you’re camping in. If you think you’ll never use your tent again, you can donate it to Vans For Vets (www.vansforvets.org) which sends tents to places like Haiti. Maybe even to a Haitian restavec (effectively a modern-day slave) fleeing to live free.

As the world shrinks, there is great value in re-learning the beautiful lesson of how to co-exist peacefully under one sky. Seen from overhead, a tent city looks like a molecular pattern, in a macro-micro visual meditation on what we’re made of. I wonder what our city looks like to the migratory birds (fun fact: Coachella Valley is one of the world’s most important bird sanctuaries) that come here, after seeing an increasingly ravaged planet. I hope they find our slice of civilization a sight for sore eyes. For the former Marine standing next to you working security, tents can signify a very different set of circumstances.

Tents can have an effect on you even when you’re not there. For example, if you’re debating how hard to party at the concert, it’s nice to know you can cut loose because nobody’s driving. Or if you plan on staying up for the late-night DJ dome, roller rink and pinball arcade, then you might wanna hold back a bit on daytime indulgence.

This year, all 10,000 Coachella campsites are sold-out, which means Thursday is the new Friday and Monday is the new Sunday.

Over 96 hours, there will be good times and major bummers. There will be missed performances and there will be drum circles.

Lifelong friendships will be forged and a few definitive break-ups will go down. And when all is said and done and you’re packing up your tent, you will have more than few life-long memories.

You are participating in the most ancient of human activities, and you are also creating a city that’s nearly tripled in size in a year’s time—from 13,000 to 36,000 individuals—making Camp Coachella one of the largest cities in the desert. If an election were held tomorrow, you’d have the deciding votes.

Welcome home, pilgrim.

Michael Vazquez

Photo credits I Opposite page by Andrew Krelle; Next spread by (top row 1) Kristian Dowling; (2-3) Michael Ivankay; (middle row 1) Travis Williams; (2) Joe Richards; (3) Caesar Sebastian; (bottom row) Kristian Dowling. Final spread: (left page) Travis Williams; (right page top) Dave Bullock ; (bottom) Travis Williams.

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best of the

west For over a decade, URB Magazine has

covered The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in all its sunburnt glory. We took a look back through ten years of issues to find our favorite moments as captured by URB scribes present and past—plus we dug up some never before seen excerpts from our award winning 2007 article “How The West Was Won: An Oral History of Coachella.”

1999...

Kool Keith; Morrissey’s biggest fan

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Arial view, 2001; The Chemical Brothers, 1999

We went crazy on experimental electronica the first year. Lots of blips and bleeps and knob turners. Too much is not enough. When you look back, we probably didn’t need all of it as an event producer. But it really drove a point home to the non-electronic fan that we’re taking this stuff as serious as rock music. This is just as important and it’s not gonna be put on the back burner. /Paul Tollett (Coachella co-founder)

all photos courtesy of Goldenvoice

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2001-2003

I think I had a troupe of probably 15 dancers. So many gorgeous women all around just dancing all over the stage. And we really practiced it. Jane’s was always a rock thing with dancers, and that’s wonderful, but when I was doing the first year, it was electronic music mixed with dance and live performance. We’d never been to Coachella before. Nobody had. The layout was WOW. Again, I go back to those mountains... —Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction) The best opportunity yet to join a heaving field of Paul Oakenfold-driven Jane’s Addiction fans right here in the U.S.A. /Daniel Chamberlin (URB)

[Casey Spooner] crowd surfed to the furthest reaches of the crowd for cheers. “This is the white man’s hip-hop up here!” he bellowed, I couldn’t give a damn about Tool, RATM or all the other sorry-ass rock bands...I had come for the DJs and electronic artists and, okay I’ll admit it: Spiritualized, Beck and Morrissey. /Stacy Osbaum/URB Does legendary poet Gil Scott-Heron classify as a hip-hop MC? How about Beck and Zach de la Rocha? One sings the praises of two turntables and a microphone, and the other once kicked his feet up in the Lyricist Lounge with the Blastmasters. /James Tai/URB

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. . . The Prodigy’s sub-woofers drowning out Zero 7’s pleasant summer sounds. /URB

It was exciting to see how many dance and hip-hop heads had Siouxsie and the Banshees high on their lists of bands to see. /URB

most of “The 15th,” ending back onstage as the song ended to euphoric realizing that he is, indeed, living the dream. /Scott Sterling/URB All photos courtesy of Goldenvoice; Fischerspooner taken from Coachella the Movie by Drew Thomas

URB saw Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore cozying up to those cuties in Blur. /URB

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2004-2005 When I got the bubble, I took it out on my front lawn and some kids from around the neighborhood came over and we all tried this thing. It’s a little like David Copperfield.

You can’t just make the Empire State building disappear without thinking about it. The way it looked to everybody else, I hope, was just something utterly appropriate but fantastical. What you’d expect from Coachella. /Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips)

All photography by John Shearer Archive. Courtesy of Getty Images.

Even after 30-odd years of twiddling with this sound, Kraftwerk proved they can still blow their younger imitators out of the water. /Cheryl Chang/URB

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The Pixies reunion. Guitars so loud they peeled your skin back from 300 yards away. Like the LCD said, “I was there.” /Joshua Glazer/URB

URB’s most bizarre encounter was with Extra host Pat O’Brien.

When asked for his favorite performer, he yelled “Nine Inch Nails, of course!” /Jolie Lash/URB

I was bummed Cocteau Twins cancelled, But for the 600 bands we’ve had, its been a pretty good hit and miss in terms of showing up. /Paul Tollett (Coachella)

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I set up all my own gear. There’s nobody else who tours with me who knows how the gear works, so I always have to sound check my own gear. So when I first came onstage, I wasn’t dressed in my outfit. I was just testing my gear, doing a live check. People thought I was starting my show. Then I said, “I’m going to get changed,” and I ran underneath the stage. My manager kept watch while I took all my clothes off and put my gig clothes on. /Imogen Heap

The most surprising booking in Coachella history: hipster-baiting material girl Madonna, who was in top form as her buff figure emerged from a giant disco ball with her posse of dancers. /URB

Clothing at Coachella is a matter of survival. While most people wear shorts and loose shirts, Mike Relm was wearing his black suit the whole day. /Joey the Intern/URB

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Daft Punk closed out the night with a game changing set in the Sahara tent. The French duo’s impeccably programmed music and light show was the undisputed highlight of the year.

Rave is back! /URB Photos: Imogen Heap by Jeff Kravitz; Mike Relm by Michael Buckner; Daft Punk by Karl Walter; Madonna by Kevin Mazur. All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

2006-2007 “I know for the longest time they weren’t really making any profit, but they kept going. It’s a testament to staying at something and giving it your all and never giving up.” /Z-Trip

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2008-2009

Aphex Twin opened up the throttle and gave the people what they really wanted—a barrage of manic breaks and drum & bass that ended with a roar so loud you’d thought a jet was actually landing on the tent. Coachella might be the last place in America where jungle music really makes sense. /Joshua Glazer/URB

M.I.A. was packed solid, erupting with fights and ruckus, flying microphones, cursing, fainting, bleeding from the head, trampling by people so determined to have fun, they punch each other in the face. /Daiana Feuer/URB

[The Cure] moved from “A Forest” to Disintegration and back again to get “Close To Me,” time-travelling between the ’80s and ’90s and nowsies with the slap of a moody bass line. Which pretty much sums up the essence of Coachella. /Daiana Feuer/URB

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Robots are in this spring. LMFAO came out wearing robot heads and shiny sweat suits to kick off Crystal Method’s breakbeat blazing show.

N.A.S.A. played a DJ set on half a spaceship, with green-bodied alien chicks dancing onstage and a silver robot with longs arms.

Ghostland Observatory had more lasers than an intergalactic battle. /daiana Feuer/URB

Photos: Aphex Twin by Charley Gallay, M.I.A. by Jeff Kravitz, NASA by Michael Buckner, Danny Devito by John Shearer. All photos courtesy of Getty Images.

I roam around.

Everybody at the festival is so great. I was walking in the back and I bumped into Jack White.

I’m very fortunate that I can go back there and take a leak, basically. /Danny Devito NASA; Danny Devito

I don’t know how you are, but I know how I am and how the staff is…we get depressed after Coachella for a couple of days. I can’t put my finger on what it is. /Paul Tollett

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Coachella By The Numbers Golf Carts: 135 Garbage Cans: 4000 Stage Hands: 650 Porta-Potties: 1750 Parking Attendants: 75 Goldenvoice Staff: 50 Tents For Staff: 400+ Lawn Mowers: 2 Vodka: Enough to fly the Russian flag Gaff Tape: 100 rolls Microphones: 200+ Speakers: 250+ Pixels (in the screens): Millions Journalists: 500+ Photographers: 500+ T-shirts and Merch: 35,000 Square Feet Of Stage: Almost an acre Square Feet Of Parking: Way more than an acre Trailers: 70+ Walkie Talkies: 250 Meatball Subs: A bunch (0 in Morrissey’s trailer) Security Guards: 1000+ Barricades: 1 mile Generators: 100+ Volunteers: 600 Publicists: 8 Power Strips: Hundreds Watts of power: Jiggawatt City Permits: 1 Advil: No headaches

photography by Rick Gershon

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A man of many bands, Mike Patton talks reuniting with his biggest, Faith No More

by Erin Broadley

Faith No More is four songs deep into their August ’09 set at Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands last when things get feisty. Mike Patton stands with his back to the crowd and yanks off his red suit jacket just as Billy Gould’s hooky yet laidback bass line for the song “Evidence” kicks in. Patton turns, points and waves a cautionary finger toward the thousands of people in the audience.

“Start thinking about these words in Dutch. In Dutch, Ok? I ain’t gonna sing them, you are,” he says, sticking his tongue out and smirking.

Patton starts the first verse, “If you want to open your hole...” then pauses briefly. “What you looking at?!” he snarls towards an audience member as he rolls up his shirt sleeves, like a pugilist maestro ready to tackle every punctuating vocal change. Patton’s signature slicked back hair is mussed and he spits on the stage floor, flicking one wrist and snapping to the beat. Mike Bordin, ponytailed dreadlocks swinging and sweat beads flying, builds toward the chorus on drums. Patton growls and leaps from the stage into the audience, yanking the mic cord with him. “Alright you cock suckers. Who can sing in this place?”

It’s been over a decade since U.S. audiences have seen Faith No More perform live, but if this YouTube spectacle was any indication, the newly reformed band is back in all its

Photograph by Andrei Zarnoveanu

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(quote)

I sometimes think to myself, "let's just play the show tonight, don't be an asshole, don't pick a fight, don't do this, don't do that..." and then things happen, you know? refi ned, explosive and mischievous glory. With a career spanning over 20 years, Faith No More is one of the few groups that has retained its ability to remain fiercely independent and left-of-center, while also appealing on a popular rock level.

While many younger fans made their peace with missing out on Faith No More’s heyday and have embraced Patton’s myriad of projects since—Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Tomahawk, Peeping Tom, amongst others—die-hards have spent the years since the band’s 1998 break debating which of the Bay Areabased group’s six albums was its fi nest. Was it prePatton We Care A Lot or Introduce Yourself? The Real Thing’s mainstream success? Angel Dust’s angsty experimental departure? King for a Day... ‘s cult appeal?

Or was it Album of the Year’s classic irony? Regardless, when the band announced in February 2009 that it was indeed reforming for a string of European dates, American audiences couldn’t have been more thrilled... and bummed.

A year later and Faith No More has fi nally made its way back stateside, with dates in San Francisco, New York, and of course, Coachella. We caught up with the Oddfather of Rock prior to his stay in Indio to discuss the Faith No More reunion, festival etiquette and old man sex.

Erin Broadley: You performed at Coachella with Fantomas in 2005, Peeping Tom in 2007, and Rahzel in 2009, and now this year with Faith No More. How are you able to play up the differences with each of those acts and still have them work successfully in a large festival environment?

Mike Patton: You try and feel as comfortable as you can. To be totally honest, [Coachella] is one of the few festivals that I will play at and also go see a bunch of bands. I feel like in some strange way I am in decent company. That alone gives me the comfort to want to keep coming back with whatever configuration I may have, and this time it’s a no-brainer with Faith No More.

Most festivals, you get in and you get the hell out [laughs]. You don’t want to talk to anyone; you don’t want to see anyone. That’s kind of my festival etiquette. I’m not proud of it. [Festivals can be] incredibly impersonal and not conducive to making good music. You just have to focus and suck it up and really be in your own bubble in order to do something that you’re proud of. Coachella is slightly different. Every year, I make a little list and go, “Okay, I gotta see this guy, gotta see that guy...”

Right, hitching a ride on a golf cart from one stage to the next.

Yeah [laughs]. There’s good shit at Coachella and that tells me that the people that book it know what they’re doing. The hardest part is you’re going to miss about half of what you want to do because the stages are so far away I’ll just bring my hoverboard.

There you go. Or a helicopter.

I checked out some of the recent Faith No More

live footage online and one thing that struck me is there seems to be a greater physical interaction with the audience. It seems more aggressive than performances with your other projects.

Maybe. Every band that I play in has a different dynamic. With Faith No More, even though we’re a bunch of old men, what I remember about our best shows was some sort of confrontation with the audience. I didn’t even have to think about it, it just came back. It’s not planned, it’s not thought out. I even sometimes think to myself, “Hey let’s just play the show tonight, don’t be an asshole, don’t pick a fight, don’t do this, don’t do that...” and then things happen, you know?

Like the Pukkelpop festival in Belgium where those guys were texting from the front row.

[Laughs] Oh, yeah. It’s not an issue, I just took the bait and I ran with it. A part of Faith No More shows is chaos and unpredictability. Compare that to Fantomas at Coachella. My issue was not to stir up any shit or even acknowledge the crowd. I wanted to play the music as best as I can. I wanted to make it as perfect as I can. It’s more like a classical music recital. It’s a completely different approach and completely different results. With Faith No More, I’m a little more free. To me, it’s more like rock and pop music, so I’ve got a chance to “entertain the crowd” or fuck with the crowd, and I try and play that up.

You’ve said that Tomahawk, for instance, is a band that couldn’t exist without playing live. You said maybe that’s the quandary that rock music is in: it needs to be a physical thing, it has to be a tangible thing, and that it betters the music. You also wrote an essay for John Zorn titled “How We Eat Our Young” in which you said the most convincing music for you achieves a sexual level of expression and that’s the kind of gratification that you look for, for music to be like fucking.

Basically, yeah.

How does that sexual level of expression factor into a Faith No More performance?

It’s a similar approach. Tomahawk for me was the fi rst rock band that I played in since Faith No More. So, to me, I was still getting that jones from Tomahawk that I didn’t have anymore once Faith No More broke up. Doing it again? It’s very different. It’s more like old man sex [laughs].

Old man sex? What do you know about old man sex?

Believe me, I know! [Laughs] It’s just a different approach, that’s all. The best thing about doing these different dates with these guys has been, to be honest, not having a record out, not having anything to pimp, and not having to do interviews. We show up and we play. That’s a very empowering position to be in. In a sense, I think it distills what we always really wanted to communicate, what we were really, really good at, and that’s it. There are no extraneous pressures or ventures; it’s really just about the music.

That is why these reunion shows are not a complete travesty. All of us were very worried to do something like this. Like, how is it gonna look? How’s it gonna sound? We all came together and realized that if it’s about the music and music only, then this is going to be great.

How have your relationships to the songs changed? Are you hearing them differently?

A little bit. There are moments when I defi nitely think, “Jeez, we wrote that? That’s really good.” Or there are other moments—and these are much more common—when I feel like I’m playing in a cover band.

And that’s not a bad thing. To me that’s an exotic thing. It’s like covering Sinatra or covering Tony Bennett.

I feel like, “Oh my god, I know this melody but why do I know it?”

You did an interview in Brazil where you talked about how you were late to the first Faith No More rehearsal and you just sat outside and listened to the band play. That’s when you realized you’d be comfortable singing those songs again. What was it that clicked when you had that feeling?

[Laughs] It didn’t suck. It sounded powerful and really good. My eyes lit up and that was it. There was nothing more specific than that. There was a little bit of nervousness, like, “Okay, what’s this going to sound like?” It was our fi rst rehearsal. In a sense, I got to spy on them and hear what they were doing.

Kind of like showing up for a blind date and peeping through the window before you go in and sit down with the person.

Yeah, exactly. That gave me a lot of confidence and that was it.

For Coachella, who is on your list of bands to check out this year?

Well, this is a guilty pleasure: Corrine Bailey Rae. I know. It’s so embarrassing but I have to say it. I love her voice. I want to see her sing. I’m going to see a moment of Jay-Z, of course. Gorillaz, I am curious about. Gil Scott-Heron, come on! I want to see that. I want to see Sly and the Family Stone. Is there any really new vital stuff? Oh, Dillinger Escape Plan! I’ll go see them.

Well, hopefully you get to see them all.

[Laughs] Hoverboard.

Photograph by MAARTEN MOOIJMAN

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Sa y WHOA !

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2010 brings the big bass with Rusko, The Glitch Mob and Bassnectar I by Lara Kelley Underground bass and dubstep may have started with a few fans inside a small electronic music scene, but the UK genre has been quick to gain popularity worldwide, especially in Southern California, where crowds have grown exponentially in less than three years.

The namesake low end frequencies and half time rhythms can be heard in recent productions by commercial artists such as Rihanna and Snoop Dogg, but at the heart of it all is a handful of innovative and dedicated artists helping to keep the music fresh and forwardmoving. This year, three featured acts are making their debut appearance on Coachella’s main stages, each bringing a distinct style. Multi-faceted dubstep heavyweight Rusko recently re-located to Los Angeles after quickly conquering the UK scene, while San Francisco star Bassnectar came out of the city’s colorful warehouse party community with an equally eclectic bass-centric sound beloved by dancers across America. Local natives The Glitch Mob evolved out of LA’s own downtown scene to take their technically advanced methods to much wider audiences in recent years. Having pioneered the bass, dub, and intelligent dance music sounds that have been rocking crowds, selling out shows and holding down the underground in the U.S. for some time now, expect their individual performances to be highlights of this year’s festival.

Christopher Mercer, aka Rusko, was born in Leeds, England, where dub sound systems were an integral part of the underground music scene that influenced him from an early age. Now, the 24-year-old producer weaves electro, drum & bass, reggae, UK garage and funk into his productions, but it’s the stripped and slowed down minimal techniques of dubstep that he is most recognized and respected for.

“Dubstep is so diverse; you can book a dubstep DJ at a house club, or before a reggae band, or even in a drum & bass rave,” Rusko explains. “It really takes elements of all different kinds of music and can fit in almost anywhere.”

Rusko has been riding a wave of recent success, signing with Diplo’s label, Mad Decent, and producing songs for M.I.A.’s new album. He’s also taken easy root in his new Hollywood surroundings, gaining airplay on mainstream radio stations with his single, “Da Cali Anthem,” which smartly samples Roger Troutman’s legendary vocodered vocal from Tupac’s “California Love.” His debut album, O.M.G.!, features a diverse collection of collaborations, including

Photograph by TODD Cooper

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the electro DJ duo Crookers, reggae MC Ron Azlan and gangster rapper Gucci Mane. Rusko’s achievements seem to stem off his ability to stay underground while still making music that’s digestible for the masses. During his Coachella set, be prepared for some never-before heard tracks along with remixes of groups like The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx and Hot Chip that will appeal to a wide variety of music-lovers.

If Rusko transitioned easily from England’s BBC 1 to LA’s Power 106 airwaves, Bassnectar took a decidedly more outsider approach, building a name for himself at festivals around the country, particularly Burning Man, where fans are said to travel into the desert for the sole purpose of seeing one of his epic sets. His one-man show combines custom-made subwoofers, mind-boggling visuals and a genreless digital DJ style into what he calls a “no rules, no limitations, no hesitations” performance. The messagein his music can often have political undertones, but for the most part, he just wants people to grab hold and enjoy the ride. Bassnectar has already headlined Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits—not to mention Coachella’s Do Lab Village—but for his Sahara tent performance, he’s going full throttle with crowdcrushing anthems and massive music.

“It’s about fucking time!” he says about the gig, “I’m cross-eyed with enthusiasm to drench that place in sound.

I’ve been having dreams about my set, and I’m working overtime to make content specifically for this show.”

For Los Angeles natives The Glitch Mob, Coachella is also a “rite of passage” they have been dreaming about since first attending the festival as fans. Their set will mark a number of firsts for the trio.

“Coachella will be the first time that we’re playing new music from our debut album, Drink The Sea, says mobster Justin Boreta. “It’s also the first time we’ll be playing out on our redesigned live show, so we’re really excited.”

The Glitch Mob’s style is genre-defying and boundarybreaking, to say the least; their shows are instinctive, performances are innovative and sounds are intelligent.

Boreta, Ed Ma and Josh Mayer all come from different musical tastes, but together they create a distinct, futuristic sound by meshing live instruments, keyboard melodies, hip-hop samples and recognizable club bangers, leaving fans drenched in sweat and critics pandering “how did they do that?!” Each of the guys is talented enough to embark on their own solo careers, yet they have stayed together, continuing to tear up dance floors, whether it’s at 100-person capacity clubs or massive festivals such as Detroit’s Movement Festival, Lollapalooza or Red Rocks.

“It’s a different feeling on a festival stage because the people are a lot further away and there isn’t that crowd energy right on your face, but it’s a welcome contrast to the small club venue,” says Boreta. “It’s awesome to be able to reach so many people who have never heard of us before. We are coming for you, Coachella!”

“It’s about fucking time!”

/RUSKO

Photography (top-bottom): Doug Wojciechowski; Alex Surguladze; Erik Voake (next page l-r): DAN WILTON; REGAL D

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BIG FOOT

Q=A: LA dubstep promoter Sam Robson Meet Sam Robson, aka XXXL, the six-foot-eight DJ, producer, promoter and organizer of the Coachella dubstep stage that takes place at the heart of the campground area. He is the proud founder of Pure Filth, a collective of artists, DJs, musicians and MCs who throw big bass events in the Los Angeles underground music scene. We caught up with “Big Sam” to get a scoop on the campground stage this year, and about the scene that he so passionately and properly represents.

Who’s performing this year in the Campground?

Flying Lotus, Jakes, Mary Anne Hobbs, Nosaj Thing, Daedelus, Gaslamp Killer, Daddy Kev & Nobody, The Professionals, Take, Ras G, Sam XL, DLX, Deco, Nocando & Kemst. All are resident artists and a few special guests that have blown the roof off of our BASSFACE and Low End Theory events. There will be some surprises too!

Why does the dubstep stage work in camping?

The campground works because it’s our core group of attendees. We got great support from the campers last year; they are a musically diverse group who like to keep the party rocking after midnight.

How do you think the dubstep scene has evolved over the years in LA?

The scene has grown immensely since Pure Filth first started three years ago. We went from having 30 or so hardcore fans to accommodating thousands. Last year, we had over 10,000 heads experience Flying Lotus at the Coachella Dome and this year we’ve had upwards of 2,000 heads turn up to our BASSFACE events. We are very fortunate to have such a devoted community of music lovers in the area that support our shows.

Do you think dubstep has hit its tipping point?

I think this is just the beginning for dubstep; Skream’s remix of La Roux’s “In for the Kill” was voted best single last year and went platinum in sales [in the UK], Flying Lotus is touring with Thom Yorke of Radiohead, rapper Murs received tons of press for spitting on a Chase & Status track, and Mary Anne Hobbs got voted DJ Magazine’s “Best Radio Show of the Year!” These are all clear signs that dubstep is gaining mass appeal.

Find out more info on the Pure Filth/Coachella party taking place in the campgrounds by following the bass or checking www.purefilthla.com.

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LA Dozen Coachella Locals photography by

KRISTIN BURNS

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Most unbelievable Coachella moment (good or bad)? If it’s your first time, what’s the best story you’ve heard?

Thoms Bangalter playing piano tunes at an afterparty. (DJ Paparazzi) I won’t leave for Coachella without an “authentic experience” and the first thing I’ll do back home is blog! (The Glitch Mob) Best place to sleep under the stars? Who’d be with you?

The bed of my truck with my dog Hacho (Iglu & Hartly)

The best place to eat pancakes is iHOP. (Tom Morello) How long have you been living in LA? I don’t, I live in Oakland. 6 hours better. (Boots Riley) Ever been camping? If so, how was that?

I’ve only ever spent one night in a tent, but I’ve slept many nights in an RV. (Alana Grace)

What makes Los Angeles great for musicians?

Taco trucks... and the endless flow of musicians in and out of this city. I like the diversity in both. (Z-Trip) Do you have a message for the Coachella campers?

Don’t die. And come see us in the Sahara tent. (Infected Mushroom)

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