We’ve packed this mixtape with 15 tracks that will make your head bob and your grandma vomit. Featuring “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger! “The Way” by Fastball! “Zoot Suit Riot” by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies! Plus tracks by Spice Girls, K-Ci & JoJo, Hanson, Backstreet Bo–what? Wait, really? Serious? Oh…okay.

Sorry, folks. I got our mixtape confused with the first volume of Now That’s What I Call Music. Turns out our compilation features music by Ani DiFranco. And Big Freedia. The Melvins, Melissa Auf der Maur, and Dum Dum Girls. Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex. Crystal Castles with Robert Smith…I think he was in, like, The Smiths or something.

Meh. I suppose it’ll be okay. I mean, I really thought this mixtape included “Anytime” by Brian McKnight, but I’ll settle for Thao & Mirah, or Atari Teenage Riot. They’re pretty cool, I guess.

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Click Here To Download Verbicide Select 9

1. Ani DiFranco
“Present/Infant”
From the album Red Letter Year
Courtesy of Righteous Babe Records
www.righteousbabe.com

2. Crystal Castles (featuring Robert Smith)
“Not In Love”
From the album Crystal Castles II
Courtesy of Fiction Records
www.fictionrecords.co.uk

3. Big Freedia
“Look At Her”
From the album Scion A/V Presents Big Freedia
Courtesy of Big Freedia/Biz 3
www.bigfreedia.com

4. Poly Styrene
“Thrash City”
From the album Generation Indigo
Courtesy of Future Noise Music
www.futurenoisemusic.com

5. Melvins
“The Kicking Machine”
From the album Sugar Daddy Live
Courtesy of  Ipecac Recordings
www.ipecac.com

6. The Rosebuds
“Second Bird of Paradise”
From the album Loud Planes Fly Low
Courtesy of Merge Records
www.mergerecords.com

7. Melissa Auf der Maur
“Out Of Our Minds”
From the album Out Of Our Minds
Courtesy of Melissa Auf der Maur
www.xmadmx.com

8. Atari Teenage Riot
“Blood In My Eyes”
From the album Is This Hyperreal?
Courtesy of Dim Mak Records
www.dimmakrecs.com

9. Amon Tobin
“Lost and Found”
From the album ISAM
Courtesy of Ninja Tune Records
www.ninjatune.net/us

10. Hail Mary Mallon
“Smock”
From the album Are You Gonna Eat That?
Courtesy of Rhymesayers
www.rhymesayers.com

11. Dum Dum Girls
“He Gets Me High”
From the EP He Gets Me High
Courtesy of Sub Pop Records
www.subpop.com

12. Now Now
“Jesus Camp (Remix)”
From the remixed EP Neighbors
Courtesy of No Sleep Records
www.nosleeprecs.com

13. Thao & Mirah
“Eleven”
From the album Thao & Mirah
Courtesy of Kill Rock Stars
www.killrockstars.com

14. Typhoon
“The Honest Truth”
From the album A New Kind of House
Courtesy of Tender Loving Empire
www.tenderlovingempire.com

15. Red Fang
“Wires”
From the album Murder The Mountains
Courtesy of Relapse Records
www.relapse.com

With Record Store Day 2011 right around the corner, VerbicideMagazine.com brings you our top picks. Should you be up early on Saturday morning, browsing your favorite local record store, keep your eyes out for these titles!

1. Bad Brains - “Pay to Cum” (7″ vinyl, ROIR): This re-release of the classic debut single by Washington, DC’s Bad Brains will be limited to only 1,500 copies. But will any be left on RSD? The band has offered a pre-sale on their website, and already the colored vinyl is sold out. Black is still available, as are free downloads of the MP3.

2. Green Day/Husker Du – “I Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely” (7″ vinyl, Warner Bros.): This split 7″ features the original version of the song by Husker Du, from their 1986 album Candy Apple Grey, as well as Green Day’s cover, recorded for MTV’s Influences in the mid-’90s. Limited to 3,790 copies.

3. Nirvana – “Hormoaning” (12″ vinyl, Universal): This re-release of Nirvana’s rare 1992 Australian tour EP features “Turnaround,” “Aneurysm,” and “D-7,” which all turned up on Incesticide. Four-thousand copies will be available.

4. Sonic Youth – “Whore’s Moaning” (12″ vinyl, Universal): Recorded in 1992, this was Sonic Youth’s 1993 Australian tour EP, a play on Nirvana’s Hormoaning EP. It featured five songs, including the radio edit of “Sugar Kane” and a cover of New York Dolls’ “Personality Crisis.” Universal will be pressing 4,000 copies.

5. Wild Flag – “Future Crimes” b/w “Glass Tambourine” (7″ vinyl + download card, Merge): Featuring former members of Helium and Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag should be releasing their eagerly awaited debut album in the summer of 2011. Until then, this 7″ (previously only available at their live shows) should whet the appetites of the 1,200 fans who can snag a copy.

6. Joan Jett – “I Love Rock n’ Roll” (12″ 180-gram clear vinyl + download card, Blackheart Records): To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of I Love Rock N’ Roll, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are releasing the certified platinum-selling album on Joan’s label, Blackheart Records. The album contains a dozen tracks, and comes with a download of the entire album. This is a one-time only reprint of only 1,000 copies.

7. Deftones – “Covers” (vinyl, Warner Bros.): The Deftones Covers album will feature covers of artists including The Cars, Drive Like Jehu, The Smiths, Sade, Jawbox, the Cardigans, Lynyrd Skynrd, Duran Duran and more. Most of the tracks are available in various formats, but this is the first time the Deftones’ extensive collection of covers will be available in one collection on vinyl. The record will contain 11 songs, and 3,000 copies will be sold.

8. Matt & Kim – “Block After Block” (7″ vinyl, Fader Label):  This 7″ vinyl release features the remastered album version of “Block After Block,” as well as “Cameras” featuring Big Freedia on the B-side.

9. Lady Gaga – “Born This Way” (12″ vinyl picture disc, IGA): They’ll be pressing 5,000 copies of this record, and…um…what the fuck is “IGA Records?” As in IGA?

10. Regina Spektor – “Four From Far” (33 1/3 RPM light blue 7″ vinyl, Sire): Regina will be performing live at Other Music in New York City on Record Store Day, and the first 100 customers who buy Spektor’s RSD release — limited to 3,350 copies — will receive a ticket to see Regina play an intimate solo show at the store that afternoon, as she records her next Record Store Day release. The record includes three previously unreleased tracks taken from 2009′s Far recording sessions, none of which have ever been available on vinyl until now. “Eet” from Live in London also appears.

11. Various Artists – “Kill Rock Stars” (12″ vinyl, Kill Rock Stars): Twenty years ago, Slim Moon founded the independent label Kill Rock Stars and released a comp of the same name. It was a silkscreened, limited edition LP and featured bands that had either played the International Pop Underground Convention or who were from Olympia. This included bands that were already successful (Nirvana, The Melvins) mixed in with bands that were about to affect pop culture at large (Bikini Kill, Bratmobile) as well as bands that were to help define the underground scene for the two decades (Unwound, The Nation of Ulysses, Mecca Normal). This Record Store Day, 2,000 hand-numbered copies of this record are being reprinted.

Honorable Mention

Kanye West
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Big Boi
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

Big Freedia
Hitz Vol. 1

Vampire Weekend
Contra
the review

• Melvins

• Melvins

• Melvins

• Melvins

• Totomoshi

• Totomoshi

The Melvins have roots in the Olympia area — the band formed in the early ’80s in Montesano, Washington, a small town near the coast that’s less than hour away from Oly. At the all ages show at the Capitol Theater on a Wednesday night, fans ranging in age from 15 to 92 came to watch Buzz’s giant gray afro thrash under the lights — and they were not disappointed.

Los Angeles’s Totomoshi played a warm up set, and after that I managed to sneak my way up front with my camera. Excited little butterflies hopped around in my stomach as I peered over the monitors at the two drum sets that the roadies were setting up. I knew I had a good spot and couldn’t wait to hear the thunder those puppies would produce. After a few minutes Buzz appeared on stage. I had underestimated just how good of a spot I had. He was standing right in front of me — I could literally reach out and touch his toe if I felt like it.

The Melvins got the crowd going with “The Water Glass” off their latest record, The Bride Screamed Murder. The call and response part of the song (“We are ready/rock me steady”) got everyone immediately engaged. I sang along with the crowd and marvelled at the strange D&D cosplay outfits the band was wearing. Buzz had on a black mumu-looking costume that resembled a priest or mage’s robe, and Jared was wearing a Liberace-style sequined cape, a headband, and an armored skirt. The drummers wore similar garb, looking like warriors from Gauntlet — I wondered what was going on there. Buzz tore at his guitar with delicious violence — he looked as though he would break the strings with every chord. As he bobbed and thrashed his head about I watched little fuzzy gray hairs fly through the air, backlit by the stage lights. I had seen the Melvins before, but I had never experienced a performance up close. It was incredible.

As the show continued I unfortunately had to leave my glorious spot. Predictably, the pit was becoming crazy and I didn’t want my camera to end up in little pieces. Legs flew up in the air as crowd members surfed toward the stage. Bodies surged forward with each thunderous crash of the drums, crushing me against the stage and the monitors.

Just after I vacated the pit, a couple of people actually made it up onto the stage, jumped around, and then stage-dived. Buzz wasn’t pleased with this. Between songs he paused, requesting that people refrain from stage-diving, adding, “I want to make clear that I don’t care what you do. I just don’t want anyone getting hurt that doesn’t want to hurt.”

Apparently, one of the fans didn’t agree with the sentiment and shouted a retort. Buzz demanded to identify the heckler and the crowd parted, singling out the offender. Buzz ordered him to get out, but the guy wouldn’t go quietly. Eventually, four security guards carried the dude out while Buzz smugly countered, “You come up here on stage, you call me a rock star, and now I’m going to show you just how much of a rock star I am by kicking your ass out!”

Now that’s what I’m talking about. Buzz, you rule.

The theme of love in its many guises, both as redemption and call to arms, is one that Wasif returns to again and again in his songs. Its mythical quality becomes a springboard from which he explores the mysteries of life and the universe on his third album, The Voidist. Recorded with Two Part Beast, plus guests Dale Crover (Melvins) and Greg Burns (Red Sparowes), by Chad Bamford (Weezer) with additional recordings by Mathias Schneeberger (The Obsessed, Gutter Twins), the release is out now from Tee Pee Records.

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Priestess

In this case, the end was a new beginning. Freed from the noxious psychological combat with Mascis, Barlow focused his enormous creative energies on his lo-fi Sebadoh projects, releasing a string of home-recorded albums under that moniker, as well as Sentridoh, and also as a member of college radio darlings, Folk Implosion. Barlow has also released a series of solo records, most recently 2005’s Emoh, an album that made many critics’ Top 10 lists for that year. In 2007, he reunited with Dinosaur Jr. to release the critically-acclaimed Beyond, and this year the band followed up with the brilliant Farm. If that’s not enough, this October another Barlow solo record, Goodnight Unknown, will be added to his impressive discography. We were lucky enough to catch up with Lou via email, as he is currently touring Europe with Dinosaur Jr.

First off, let’s start with some of the more personal stuff. I read on your website that you have a new baby on the way. Congratulations! When is the baby due, and is it a boy or girl? Also you had a bit of a health scare in July — how are you feeling?
My wife is six months pregnant and there’s a boy in there. He’s meant to come out December 4th. My touring with Dinosaur, Jr. lasts until November 20th. Initially, the plan was to travel with my family, as we usually do, but my wife was far too uncomfortable too early in the pregnancy for that to be realistic. Realizing that we were going to be separated for nearly three months — which is unprecedented in our relationship — while she was pregnant and caring for a four-year-old was more than my heart could handle.

Though I didn’t have an anxiety attack, in the traditional sense (mental), my heart went haywire and I ended up in the hospital on my 43rd birthday. That was humbling. I went through a battery of tests, all results negative. Now I just do less of what I was already doing less of: drinking alcohol and caffeine, and worrying. Halfway into the European tour things are okay — Skype makes it easier.

And speaking of the tour, where are you now? How is the Dino Jr. part of the Lou Barlow experience going? How is Farm being received on the other side of the pond?
Farm has done well over here, too. We’re playing to more people. We are currently in Italy — Bologna. I’m trying to force the band into playing two of my songs in the set every night. I also forced my way into an opening slot on the US tour with extra bunks on the bus for my band. But, overall, things are going well. I welcome the challenge, but I’m not sure how much “Lou” Dino can handle.

What has the highlight of the tour been thus far? And the lowlight?
The highlight was a sold-out show in Oslo. We played well. The night before, in Trondheim (Norway), was a disaster. We fell apart — which made the Oslo show that much sweeter.

Michael Azerrad’s book, Our Band Could Be Your Life, made a pretty convincing argument for Dinosaur Jr.’s inclusion in the underground rock canon. It also painted a not-so-pretty picture of the psychological warfare between you and J. [Mascis]. What do you think about that book? How accurate do you think his rendering is?
I talked to Michael a lot. I unloaded every bit of bile I could muster. So it is accurate in the sense that he printed what I said. After I read the results it just depressed me rather than making me feel vindicated or “right.” It seemed very small-minded and petty. So after that I opened myself up more to the idea of connecting with J. again, and saw the reunion as a way to change the story. I personally like bios that dish serious dirt — I hate tasteful mystery. I want facts. So in that spirit I gave Michael all I had.

And now here we are two albums into the reunited band’s second act. You’ve toured pretty extensively — you’re currently on tour, including the North American dates when you get back from Europe. You’re even piggybacking your solo shows — Lou Barlow and the Missingmen — onto the Dino Jr. US dates. Something has obviously changed! What has made the difference this time around and contributed to a less contentious working relationship (if indeed that is the case)? How do you let go of that old baggage, and how has that affected you artistically?
I’m actually far more contentious and involved than I ever was back in the day. I think communication is necessary, so I push for that. But it’s an ongoing experiment: trying to get what I need without putting too much stress on the situation.

My initial involvement ended 20 years ago. I don’t think anything I felt 20 years ago has much credibility. So it’s easy to drop the baggage and get on with it. But, of course, the basic differences in personalities and chemistry still exist, but there’s nothing quite like your first real band. I hope I can play with J. and Murph for a long, long time. The songs I’ve written for Dinosaur on Beyond and Farm are more or less about the reunion. With my Dino songs I wanted to collaborate with J. and Murph and write from the top of my head about the surrounding circumstances.

On to your forthcoming solo record, Goodnight Unknown. I’d like to hear you describe your influences, but let’s segue in that direction with something Rob Theakston wrote on the Allmusic site about your 2005 album, Emoh:

“After nearly 20 years it’s hard to believe Lou Barlow can’t find something to be happy about, but much to the relief of his fans, that is clearly not the case…It’s a mature, accomplished statement for one of indie rock’s most reliably miserable men.”

A great review, I think. Do you think your work is that unrelentingly bleak? You’ve got a lot of wonderful things happening in your life — including those babies — so where does this melancholy that infuses many of your songs come from? And do you personally find hopefulness in your words? I know I do, but I am curious about how you respond to those who find the negative more compelling.
I don’t think my work is bleak at all. A lot of it is about reconciling and adjusting to difficult changes — losing friends, negotiating a long-term relationship. Very few of my songs are bleak from start to finish. For me there are threads of hope through [them all]. There has to be. I can’t tolerate negativity, believe it or not. The songs are ways to talk myself through transitions — mantras that I repeat to reassure myself. But, admittedly, my sensibilities may lean to the dark side. But it seems to be that way with everyone I know, so…

Are there other singer/songwriters exploring similar themes that inspire you, or is this simply your own preferred area of exploration?
I just write. The songs are puzzles — I start with a phrase and a melody and find my way to the end. I’d like to be more influenced by writers and other musicians, thematically, but I’m not. I’m inspired by the energy other people have: the mountain of amazing music that has been made and will be made, the power of language. But I’ve been in my little corner for awhile, sorting things out in a simple, familiar way, creating a body of work that will, hopefully, hang together in the end.

Your early work with Sebadoh, Sentridoh, and Folk Implosion cemented your reputation as one of the godfathers of the lo-fi “movement,” if it can be called that. Just about every article I was able to dig up about you mentions that. But I’d love to know if that moniker has any meaning to you. Many of your records sound anything but lo-fi — certainly Emoh and now Goodnight Unknown have a really interesting pallet of sounds and effects. Songs like “Sharing,” the title-track “Goodnight Unknown,” and “The Right” on the new album are awash in swirling guitars that betray a certain confidence in the studio. Can you talk about your creative process and the way that you worked on the new record? Did it differ significantly from what you were doing in 2005 on Emoh?
I grew up listening to the Young Marble Giants, the Swell Maps, and a plethora of DIY post-punk. I heard these bands before I began recording myself. I’m just a part of that flow: home recorded punk-influenced music — the urge to capture something at an early, minimal stage in an environment that is comfortable.

But like the “miserable” thing, lo-fi is a brand that can be attached to what I do without much thought. I don’t think it’s an accurate description for most of the records I’ve done either. But I do love lo-fi.

For Goodnight Unknown I recorded most of the tracks myself before taking it to a studio to finish. In my opinion the tracks on Emoh that I recorded myself were the most successful so I wanted to follow through on that and make a more textured record, incorporating more lo-fi elements. But I didn’t want to limit the appeal of the record either, so I found help to provide clarity when I wanted it.

That said, many of the songs are quiet and introspective. But you seem to draw from a pool of musicians who are known for their work in bands that are heavy and rockin.’ Dale Crover’s [of the Melvins] sledgehammer drumming on a few of the new songs is really distinctive. And you’ve plucked Tom Watson and Raul Morales from Mike Watt’s band for your US solo dates. How do you choose your band mates when you’re playing the solo stuff?
It’s all fate, really — proximity, necessity. I met Dale when the Folk Implosion opened for the Melvins. I found he and his band mates to be very open-minded and peers in that they discovered punk rock at about the same time I did. He’s a great drummer, very inventive and totally unassuming. Aggressive music is where I cut my teeth. The acoustic element is something I’ve cultivated simultaneously. Dale seemed an obvious choice: our daughters are roughly the same age and we see each other regularly on the pre-school circuit.

Tom and Raul were playing with Mike Watt when they opened for Dino Jr. last spring. Tom was in a punk band called Toxic Shock, who contributed a great song to one of my favorite punk compilations Keats Rides a Harley. Later, he was in Slovenly, a great lost SST band. When I mentioned I wanted to form a band to support my record he offered his services. He lives close by so that sealed it.

Another thing that I noticed is the extensive work that you’ve done with filmmaker Adam Harding for the new material. I think there are already videos for six of the songs. And there is a really cool 30-minute “making of” documentary up and running on YouTube. What is your connection to Adam?
Adam was an Australian Sebadoh fan who had an email correspondence with my wife starting in ’94 or so. Fate led him to LA. Eventually he needed a place to stay, so we helped him out. During his time as our houseguest he was working for various studios and video companies as an editor. I suggested he begin working on videos for my album as a way to earn his keep. That began an organic process by which he conceived video ideas through our conversations and used his studio contacts to procure expensive equipment at no cost.

How active were you in the video-making process?
Very. Adam edited the videos, sometimes, on the dining room table with my daughter running around. He poured himself into the work and I did whatever I could to help, from editing ideas to doing voiceovers for the documentary. It was a special time.

Have you experimented with video to this extent before? What is the connection, in your mind, between music and film?
I was very involved in the making of a few Sebadoh videos (“Skull” and “Ocean”), and shot one myself (“Flame”). I think videos are important if only because I enjoy watching them myself. It’s nice when a band or artist involves themselves and their personalities come out in the work. It’s a very effective way to draw people into the songs. I’ve had some amazing days shooting videos, most recently the Dino Jr. video for “Over It.”

Any future plans to continue that sort of experimentation?
I hope so. I’d like to start filming the early stages of recording so the videos reflect the whole process.

And speaking of the future, what are you thinking about? There is a lot going on your life, at least over the short term: new album, the tour, new baby. But what’s down the line? Is there something you’ve wanted to do but never had the opportunity?
I’m thinking about my next batch of songs. I want to write more — words, journals, etc. Sharpen my language skills. Also maybe take guitar and/or piano lessons. I need more dexterity in my playing and a broader scope in my writing. So if I do some basic skill-building exercises, maybe that can happen.

Of course that’s all a very convoluted way of asking you, what’s next?
I’d like to collaborate more with J. If Dino Jr. makes another record, I’d like my songs not to suck. I’ve barely tapped his skills! He has incredible compositional abilities, he’s a monster of rhythm.

(Barsuk Records, PO Box 22546, Seattle, WA 98122)