BLURT Video Series: Jesus Lizard & More

The Awkward Hour with Brian Staker, featuring Vivian Girls, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Thermals, Jesus Lizard's David Yow, and Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips

By Blurt Staff

Rockers say the darndest things, especially when they're looking into the lens of Brian Staker, host of the aptly-titled podcast "The Awkward Hour," in which Staker takes the often-spoofed (see Tim & Eric, Bob Odenkirk) model of awkward, unprepared interviewers and well, runs with it in the "be who you are" spirit. 


Earlier this month, Blurt sent our schlubby bundle of nerves to the Pitchfork Festival for special on-the-spot interviews where he cornered artists for on-the-spot (and we do mean on-the-spot) interviews. Today we add Vivian Girls and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart to the list of victims, which includes The Jesus Lizard's David Yow and The Thermals (posted earlier this week) and, coming up, The Flaming Lips, Built To Spill, and The Black Lips. 

If interviewing David Yow wasn't intimidating enough, putting Staker on the spot with attractive ladies cranks the Awk up to eleven. Hit with ubiquitious queries like "How would you describe your sound?" and likewise hackneyed references (My Bloody Valentine), Vivian Girls respond monosyllabically ("cool" and "nice") after a charitable comment from Ali: "Someone said we sound like the Zombies with bigger balls." (To which, Staker replies with a goofy Beavis and Butt-head guffaw.) His follow-up, the even more trite question about the band's moniker, gets a curt comeback from Cassie Ramone (who spends part of the interview, plucking grass from the lawn): "Because it was... the only name that wasn't stupid." It's only downhill from there, as the Girls entertain questions about the Internet and whether they plan to put out more albums...

Staker kicks of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart interview by tardily cutting into the same leadoff question ("--describe your music?") but gets better results, especially when he infers a Teenage Fanclub influence on the band. The success only lasts so long, 'cause his next question is about playing a big festival on a big stage--not like they haven't heard that one all... festival... long. Then he asks, "Any other big festivals coming up?" Here, talk turns to European fans and "Do they know your music?" The reply? "Yeah, I think the Internet helps." Ah, the Internet. A series of tubes chock fulla boobs. Check out the (dare we say pained) look on Kip Berman's face when he finishes talking about that. 

We'll post the Lips (Black and Flaming) and Built to Spill soon. Staker's epic talk with Coyne should be something special... it's a two-parter.

Now let's R-Awk! Go to:

http://www.blurt-online.com/video/

David Yow

Thermals

Vivian Girls