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BANDS: Punk
& Ska INTERESTS: Venues ETC... About LOTD
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The subtitle of this first episode of Bifocal Medias video magazine sure seems to promise a lot: underground, DIY, music, film, politics, business, culture Since this video showed up at LOTD without any press materials, I assumed it was a work standing on its own, rather than the first part of a series. But given that 1.0 is only the first of several Automatic Magnet video magazines, being able to cover all of the topics promised in the subtitle seems a little more feasible. Raleigh, North Carolinas Bifocal Media seems to have their fingers in a lot of different pots. They serve as not only a record label, but a full-fledged media production company, producing videos and documentaries for some of indie rocks most notable labels.Automatic Magnet 1.0 showcases what appear to be two of the main interests of Bifocals creators: independent music and independent film. Unsurprisingly, the video features several bands from North Carolina and video clips of bands playing at notable venues in the North Carolina Triangle, such as Cats Cradle and Go Room 4. Aided by the academic environment, the North Carolina independent music scene has always been rich, and has lured several independent acts to its scenes. The video opens with Jade Trees Milemarker playing their DC-influenced hardcore music at Go Room 4 in Carrboro, NC. The playing fades into an interview with the band, which is the format used with each band featured in this magazine. The band members discussed their transplant from DC to Chapel Hill to Chicago all thriving scenes whose influence you can hear in Milemarkers music. They also discussed lineup changes and the benefits of being signed to an independent label. Nothing too exciting, but again, looking at this as a magazine rather than a documentary, the content is solid. Fans of independent music who read zines thrive on the boring details such as who left the band when and why the band moved to a new city, and which label they just got signed to. Two independent filmmakers are featured in this magazines issue, Andrew Dickson and Randall Bobbit. Brief scenes from Dicksons film Good Grief are shown and accompanied by an interview, in which the filmmaker discusses how he moved to the west coast to become a production assistant and eventually met enough people and garnered enough experience to create his own film (funded by credit card debt and his grandmother). Dickson discussed his approach to promoting the film and compared it to the approach of independent musicians: he booked a tour and had the film featured wherever theyd let him, inspired by others who had done the same. He also addressed how the DIY film community is currently developing the same support networks that independent music has had for awhile. His recognition of this parallel is important to the flow of this magazine, because in a video, featuring music and film side by side can be disjointing. But the common link here is the DIY approach and what it allows any type of artist to accomplish on a shoestring budget. Bobbits extraordinarily ironic short film, Hung up on Elana is shown in its entirety. In the interview with Bobbit, he says that he makes short films because he lacks the money required for feature films. Yet, he enjoys the format, and expresses the importance of working within your means. Other featured bands in the magazine include second-wave New Wave pioneers, The Faint, who contribute a brief interview and a performance at Cats Cradle. In their interview, they express a sort of universal truth for independent bands: the importance of playing shows in comparison to making albums. Kent, Ohios Party of Helicopters contributes a performance at the Khyber in Philadelphia. In their interview, they discussed how growing up in a small town can be frustrating, yet unexpectedly helpful, to independent musicians. Good music was hard to come by, so instead of relying on influences to guide their music, they had to pioneer their own sound. A few of the band interviews seem to be unnecessary to the magazine, particularly Kerbloki and The Convocation Of. The former are Beastie Boys sound-alikes, whose interview in the bathroom is interrupted by a guy on the toilet grabbing some toilet paper. The Convocation Of take ten minutes to tell a two-minute story about a prank they pulled when they were on tour right after 9/11 bright idea, guys. The two bands seem to have been included for entertainment rather than informational value, which still works overall. Also for entertainment value is a clip on Maiden Man, an amusingly diehard fan of Iron Maiden, who shows off his ridiculous collection of Iron Maiden merchandise and music. The magazine ends with two live songs by Superchunk and an interview with the bands lead man, Mac McCaughan. Unsurprisingly, McCaughan is able to offer a little more perspective than some of the other bands, given the amount of time hes been involved with independent music. He discussed the DIY ethic at length, the pros and cons of staying in Chapel Hill, and what he believes has driven the 15-year success of his own Merge Records. Maybe the politics, business, and culture are coming in Automatic Magnetic 2.0, because out of all the claims in its subtitle, DIY is the one that this first issue really embodies. Everything about this video magazine is DIY: the bands and the films featured, and even the production and spirit of the video itself. However, the magazine featured mostly bands/filmmakers that are successful in the independent scene in the sense that prominent, independent labels had already recognized them and offered help. While their stories are inspiring, it is important to note that several other bands/filmmakers, possessing similar talents and following the same formula are not usually as lucky: the vicious catch of DIY. In the next video issue, Id love to see some talented bands that arent signed to the Jade Trees, Saddle Creeks, Troublemans, and Tiger Styles just to get more of a dose of reality with regards to the DIY approach.
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