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January 28, 2010

Interview with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's Philip Dickey

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin have been playing together since they were in high school. Although some of their members came from other bands "trying to sound like Nirvana," their collective efforts have helped them to breakthrough the sometimes melancholy and often times average-white-band sound that is indie music, to become indie pop superstars. Their work has received excellent reviews from the likes of Spin Magazine and Pitchfork, they've had songs played on The OC, and even earned a spot on the Carson Daly Show. SSLYBY's next album, produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, is set to drop this summer. I sat down with Philip Dicky to ask some questions about the past and the future...

How tired are you of playing Oregon Girl?

There are a few songs that I'm tired of playing, but Oregon Girl is not one em,' That song reminds me of my mom, and it would be like hating my mom, so I can't hate that one.

I first saw SSLYBY open for Rogue Wave five years ago at Mojo's in Columbia...what's different about the band today?

A little less hair, a few chipped teeth.

You played a few songs tonight off your next album...what direction are you headed after Pershing, the last album?

Everywhere...we went to all types of music with this one...Journey, Pheonix, Tom Petty...

Is there really a Gwyneth or Evelyn?

Yes, there is a Gwyneth, she's in New York now...she was at the last show here... No, there's not an Evelyn...

What's the best show you all have had outside the U.S.?

Moscow was probably our best show. We saw some interesting stuff there...we saw Lennon's body in a museum, it was like a haunted house. Italy was crazy, we met some interesting people there...however our performances were plagued by equipment that stopped working.

Who's the best band on Weller street?

My sister's band. They sound like us, with good melodies, it's a lot of the same sound...New Monster's Collective

SSLYBY are label mates (Polyvinyl Records) with Of Montreal and Via Audio? Have you gotten to hang out with either of them?

We played with them and met the bass player, he was in the basement...
Via Audio's like family, they're great, we toured with them a couple of years ago

I saw you all play a show at the Outland Ballroom in Springfield a few years back and you all had to switch roles in the band...

Jonathan sprang his ankle playing basketball and could only play sitting down, so we all had to learn parts with different instruments, I forgot about that. We've all played at least one show with every instrument.

So when are you going to do a Springsteen album? Everyone has to do at least one Springsteen album...

Ya, I don't know, there are some few songs on the upcoming album. Go to our My Space page, there's a song called "Cardinals Rule,' that's probably our most Springsteen song. It's all about the Springfield Cardinals...

So when can we expect the new album?

We keep saying summer, maybe July, but most likely August

If you've never heard Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, here's some tunes...

Posted by Nathan Gemayel at 10:31 AM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2010

Jay Leno is so Generous

Hmmm...

Posted by Nathan Gemayel at 8:32 PM | Comments (0)

January 3, 2010

Top Ten Songs of 2009: #2

#2 Eet - Regina Spektor

Back in October I had fallen asleep on the couch during Saturday Night Live, I woke up to hear this angelic voice singing a song about remembering. It was beautiful...I couldn't stop listening. The words, the music, the subtlety of Spektor's voice...as we said back in the 90s, "it's all good." Listen, and enjoy...

Posted by Nathan Gemayel at 11:38 PM | Comments (0)