Mesh Magazine

Tartufi is back from its massive US tour and was kind enough to file this, the third, and final installment of the road diary. Visit Tartufi’s Myspace page for more info.
Ahoy Maties!

‘Tis we! The dueling duo of the dry seas! All that we ask is a large van and a star to steer her by. And that we got friends, that we got. Last we checked in, we were headed through Indiana, riding a wicked ground harvest high and grateful to have spent some good, old-fashioned, quality time with The Pope of Yes and Ronald McDonald in the freaky ass flesh. Next we hit Cleveland where we met one of the most kind and loving zombies ever to have lived, died, lived and then died again. [See photos 1 & 2] Brian got pretty cozy with Zombie and luckily a camera was near by….but not too near…..ewwwww. Zombie love. That night we slept in the van and, thanks to The Davenport, their fine staff members and an unlimited supply of PBR, we peed a small lake directly outside the army recruiting station in the parking lot. Tartufi - trying to prevent senseless recruitment for a senseless war one pee lake at a time. Mmmmm. Fresssshhhh.

What happened next may well have been one of the best things to ever have happened to us on this tour. We met up with a band so fierce, so relentlessly rocking, so second a-hole tearing, that we were forever altered - musically and mentally - from the experience. For the better! Yes folks, we joined forces with the one, the only, LOW RED LAND! These fellas not only shred harder than Laird Hamilton on an 87 footer, they also smell freshish and are good lookin’ to boot! [See photo 3 after the jump] Aaaand we had to good fortune to be introduced to and invited to stay with Neil John’s own momma! This woman is one of the kindest, sweetest ladies we have ever had the pleasure to meet. Thanks for the mommmmmwiches Mrs. Thompson! They went down a treat.

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By: David Ma

Photos by: Anabella Pinon

The wonderful Sharon Jones stopped by a sold-out Bimbo’s last week, dancing, joking, singing, and simply working her ass off during an active, two-hour set. The Dap Kings showed why they were ask to back Amy Winehouse on her Back To Black album, switching rhythms and sounding more magnificent live than they normally do on record. Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings more than deserved everyone’s price of admission that night. They were so, sooooo good.

I plan on talking to Ms. Jones about this sold out tour (stay tuned!), her current career, and all the recent, well-deserved attention they’ve been receiving. But for now, here are some pictures from that mighty evening. 

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The Lightning Bug Situation is the solo project of San Francisco guitarist and songwriter Brian Miller, whose new album, A Leaf, A Stream is a beautiful collection of ethereal pop songs influenced by the birth of his daughter and intensely personal moments and recollections of himself, his family, and his friends. A CD release show is being held this Saturday at Amnesia (853 Valencia between 19th & 20th) with special guests The Antiques and The Vision of a Dying World (who will also be The Lightning Bug Situation’s backing band).

The album features recordings of people telling various anecdotes from their lives, which range from funny to nostalgic to almost disturbingly personal, as on “Hitting’s Not Very Effective When You Don’t Have Much of a Punch”, where a woman describes her abusive ex-boyfriend and her attempts to fight back. This, combined with lyrics that cover the thoughts of a new father (on “A Message To Myself After Franny Was Born”, a song driven by harmonized vocals, piano and slide guitar), the experience of putting a pet to sleep (”Topher’s Dead”), and a melancholic fan letter to a musician (”For Dave K.”), gives the album the feeling of reading someone’s diary, and all the intrigue, and at times uncomfortable-ness, that goes with it.

The crescendoing “Iraqi Man and Baby Daughter, 2007″ is a highlight of the album, reflecting the reality and personal horror of wars. It features samples of Dave Mihaly’s string quartet piece “Influences of the Invisible”. Overall, an excellent, ambitious album in its entirety, from Miller, who has played guitar with Jolie Holland for the past eight years (including on Catalpa, Escondida, and Springtime Can Kill You). (more…)

East Bay rap legend Spice 1 was shot in the chest while he slept in his car in front of his parents’ home in Hayward Monday at 9AM. He is currently recovering in the hospital, but remains in critical condition. He told police he had been asleep for about 30 minutes when he noticed a white or Hispanic male standing next to his car. After being shot, he walked into the house and called 911. Spice 1’s 1994 album

And Mesh’s 120 Minutes continues.

Locals Minipop just released this excellent video for the song “Like I Do”, directed by Andrew Huang.

Snoop Dogg’s Sensual Seduction video… seen on Yo! Awww Damn Raps. 

• Curbed SF  highlights new amenities at Valencia Gardens.
• Tornados in Brooklyn goes online, holiday, window shopping.
• The Bay Bridged interviews Audio Out Send.
• McCovey Chronicles grades the Giants (they ain’t passing).
• What I’m Seeing begins to look a lot like x-mas.
• Amanda Lopez is in Street World.

Found this video of Bay Area rapper Turf Talk on Judge Joe Brown via Max Sidman. Below is an interview with Turf Talk that we ran last summer.

Hyphy or Not, Here He Comes
Turf Talk on success and the exploding hyphy movement
By Corey Bloom. Photo by Amanda Lopez.

The day before the following interview took place, Turf Talk appeared where few rappers have been before, the cover of the USA Today. Joined by his cousins E-40 and Droop-E, the statement was clear: This is the future, these individuals will take the spotlight and bring attention back to Bay Area rap after nearly a decade of nation-wide neglect.

After stepping on the field two years ago with his debut, The Street Novelist, Turf is preparing to release his sophomore effort, The West Coast Vaccine, on June 28th. With the majority of the production taken on by the “King of the Hyphy Sound,” Rick Rock (Federation, Jay-Z), as well as joints from the King of Crunk Lil’ Jon, The West Coast Vaccine is shaping up to be bigger than Balco’s Silverback. Timing couldn’t be better; as labels continue to lurk and watch the Bay’s “hyphy” movement, and attention from media outlets continues to soar, it’s Turf’s chance to establish himself as one of the most versatile, charismatic and potent spitters in the Bay. So talented, so gangsta, deserving and hard working—that’s Turf Talk.

With your debut The Street Novelist there were a lot of songs that people wouldn’t really expect from a Bay Area rapper coming up under this Hyphy movement. Are you gonna stay with that for the West Coast Vaccine?
Yeah, this next one is gonna really shock people. I really opened up on this one, some songs don’t even sound like me. I got some more stories, more songs for the ladies. I got a lot of songs on this one people wouldn’t expect.
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A week and a half ago, Radiohead broadcast a live Webcast in which they played some of their own songs, along with covers of The Smiths, Joy Division/New Order and Bjork. The videos are on YouTube now; below are a couple of the covers.

Radiohead covering Joy Division/New Order’s “Ceremony”.

Radiohead covering The Smiths’ “The Headmaster Ritual”.

Our friends over at West Add Radio have gone against our advice and thankfully started a print magazine, WAR, which is out now. Each issue will feature interviews with bands and CD reviews from the staff of Aquarius Records.
The premier issue is out on the streets now, available at these locations in San Francisco: Pick Up At Aquarius Records, Arinell’s Pizza, Needles & Pens, Amoeba Records, Tweekin Records, Recycled Records, Bound Together Bookshop, Lost Weekend, Street Light Records (Noe Valley) Molotov’s, The Knockout, Brainwash, Elbo Room, Hemlock, Edinburgh Castle.

And these in the East Bay: Issues Zine Shop, Ameoba Records, Rasputin Records, Down At Lulu’s, RPS Collective, Mama Buzz Cafe, Moe’s Books, Saturn Records and 21 Grand.