FILTER 42

Punks. Provocateurs. Incendiary. Infamous. The notorious Black Lips have earned many labels, somehow simultaneously embracing and dismissing each one—viciously spitting in the face of naysayers and raucously embracing the crowds who cheer them on at every stage. They’ve been banned from venues too many times to count, stirred up controversy in every corner of the world, and recorded a half-dozen albums of truly awesome lo-fi punk—and done it all with straightforward sincerity and charm. Join FILTER as we chase hell with Joe Bradley, Cole Alexander, Ian St. Pé and Jared Swilley in Los Angeles, tracing the band’s history through drugs and broken bottles, fistfights and scars, expulsion and acceptance, and an absolutely dedicated work ethic—proving that their undeniable talent, success and legacy have never been a matter of if, but when and how bad.

Also in Number 42, FILTER follows the films of Sofia Coppola, whose career of international portraits of individual crises has finally landed her back home for her latest, the intimate Los Angeles landscape of Somewhere. We discuss the improbable composition of Brian Eno, the legendary producer/intellectual/artist/genius who’s made his indelible mark on both the avant-garde (Talking Heads, Devo) and the insanely successful (U2, Coldplay), all the while remaining loyal to the ideals that have come to shape his incredible solo career. And we enter the world of The Rentals’ Matt Sharp straight through the lens of his camera as he documents an entire year of his bands’ life through a series of black and white snapshots.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t pay our tributes, and in Issue 42 we present two of our very best ever. First up, we plunge into the amazing career of Danny Elfman (from his work as a founder of new wave pop weirdoes Oingo Boingo to his lengthy career as a monumental film composer) and document his 25-year relationship with Tim Burton in celebration of the be-all-and-end-all box set of the duo’s films together; featuring interview contributions from fellow composer Mark Mothersbaugh and Elfman’s brother (and fellow Boingo cohort) Richard Elfman. Then, we salute kids’ Televisionaries and the shows from both today and yesteryear that continue to shape our young minds (and keep them from turning to mush) with highlights of H.R. Pufnstuf, Fraggle Rock, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and Yo Gabba Gabba! discussing the influence and legacy of each show through interviews with contributors and creators, including Sid & Marty Krofft, Michael Frith, Wayne White, Scott Schultz and Christian Jacobs, and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne.

In addition, we get to know Pepper Rabbit and celebrate four decades of You Should Already Knows (Daniel Lanois, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Stereolab, The Concretes); enter the fantastical, imaginative world of Oh Land; and go international with a visual guide to Montreal POP! and a remarkable recap of this year’s Iceland Airwaves Festival. Plus, Bob Odenkirk contributes “Dad’s Liner Notes” for our EndNote—and it’s really…something.

COVER

BLACK LIPS: A Story of When and How Bad


FEATURES

Going Somewhere: The Inertial Force of SOFIA COPPOLA

Only Human: The Extraordinary Composition of BRIAN ENO

Photographs About Days, Films About Weeks and Songs About Time:
A Year in the Life of THE RENTALS


F-STOP

OH LAND: The Ringmaster


TRIBUTE

DANNY ELFMAN: The Dark Knight

Televisionaries: A History of Light, Color, and Truth in Kids’ TV Programming
Featuring H.R. PUFNSTUF, FRAGGLE ROCK, PEE-WEE’S PLAYHOUSE, YO GABBA GABBA! and more)


SOUND ESCAPES

MONTREAL Goes POP!

ICELAND: Ride the Airwaves


GETTING TO KNOW

PEPPER RABBIT


YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW

DANIEL LANOIS

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK

STEREOLAB

THE CONCRETES


REVIEWS

CD REVIEWS

DVD DEBRIS


ENDNOTE

by BOB ODENKIRK