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or hear an interview, please select from menu to the left. The Kansan Interview (09/18/03) 9/18/2003 Kansan.com Exclusive: Interview with Bob Schneider By Rory Petty, staff writer Bob Schneider is a funky roots-rock singer/songwriter from Austin, Texas. His bluesy, genre-defying songs have earned him the title “king of the Austin, Texas music scene” from Rolling Stone, along with numerous other accolades. In 2001 and 2002, Schneider swept the Austin Music Awards at the South by Southwest Festival (SXSW), winning Musician of the Year and Songwriter of the Year among other awards. His self-released edition of the critically acclaimed album Lonleyland, sold 15,000 copies in just one Austin record store. Schneider has recently completed another album, I Have Seen the End of the World and It Looks Like This, along with re-releasing Lonleyland nationally. He is currently on a nationwide tour and will be playing The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas on Thursday, September 18, 2003. On Tuesday, September 16, 2003, Kansan staff writer Rory Petty and local music critic Nick Diegel took part in an exclusive question and answer session with Schneider. The following is a transcript of that interview. Nick Diegel: So where are you guys right now? Bob Schneider: Well, we stayed in Boise for the night and we’re on the road right now. N: Well, let’s get goin’. You’re the rock star, we’re the college students. What can you tell us about sex, drugs and rock n’ roll? B: What do you want to know? N: I don’t know, give us the whole story. B: The whole story, dude? I don’t know if we have enough time. So you want to know about sex, drugs and rock n’ roll? N: Yeah, what’s it like on the road? B: Umm, it’s a mixture of definitely some of that; sex, drugs and… y’know… a little it of rock n’ roll mixed in there. But there’s also like, drudgery. There’s a ton of sitting around and waiting to do something. Which people really don’t realize, they think it’s all hot… naked… chicks doing blow off their t**s, just cranking it up and rocking out. There’s a lot of smelling other people’s farts and uh… hanging out in close quarters with dudes and eating a lot of really sh***y food. And all of that kind of goes along with it as well. There are wonderful perks, for sure, that make it pretty nice, nicer than most. But I don’t think people actually see the amount of work that goes into it. Can you print any of that? N: Yeah, that’s great. How many people are on your bus? B: We’ve got eight people on our bus. Five band guys and three crew. Rory Petty: On that note, what do you guys do on your day off? I know you have a lot of downtime between shows. B: Well, we normally don’t have any days off. We had one day off on this tour yesterday in Boise, Idaho and basically what we did was; we tried to get away from each other as much as possible. Kind of get our own space and do our own thing. I went to a movie and did a painting and did some recording. N: We noticed you had ten dates in a row. I can’t imagine how hectic that would be. B: Actually it’s [phone breaks up] tends to be more grueling, and you have to find something to do. I’d rather play. R: Yeah, that’s understandable. We noticed it’s your third year in a row playing the Bottleneck in Lawrence, as well as you did some shows at the Hurricane in Kansas City. What keeps you coming back to the area? B: Why? The Bottleneck rocks. I love that place and I like Lawrence. It’s like one of my favorite places to play. I like the vibe of that city. R: Cool. There are some pretty decent places to eat here in Lawrence. Where do you guys eat when you’re in town? B: I can’t tell you; I don’t remember. I do know that I got my hair cut one time at Headmaster’s. Which I thought was the funniest name for a hair salon I’ve ever heard of in my life. R: That’s great. We promise we won’t tell, but which do you like more: playing solo or with the band? B: Playing with the band. R: Are the Grooveline Horns going to be playing with you here in Lawrence? B: No, we’re not able to take them out on the road right now. The numbers that we’re doing, y’know, we can’t afford to bring them out. Hopefully… eventually we will, because I love playing with them. When we’re in Austin we play with them all the time. Bringing another three guys on the road is just… geez. R: That’s a pretty unique dynamic they add, wouldn’t you say? There aren’t a lot of folk rock / acoustic groups that play with a horns section. B: It’s really cool. There’s something about a horn section that makes it kind of like, “I don’t know if I can do that.” Where as if you get four guys up there with some guitars and drums, like, you can look at that and go, “Oh yeah, I can do that. Y’know, no problem, give me a week and I’ll write songs as good as these motherf*****s.” But some times, when you add something like a horn section, it becomes this thing that is more or less likely to be able to be accomplished. R: What’s the best way to woo a woman in song? Is it a bare your soul style ballad or something that is just unabashedly dirty? B: Uhh, I don’t know. R: Yeah, neither do we. B: Here’s the way you woo a woman. You pick up an instrument and you make noise with it. There’s really no other secret to it. That’s the power of music. I really don’t think it matters what you sing, or what it’s about, or what style of music you actually play. I do know that if you play the blues, you’re gonna get a pretty scraggly looking crew in there. If you play klezmer music, slightly better than the blues, but not much better. The more dance oriented the music is, the better the chicks are gonna be. If you just play straight up dance music and you’re Madonna, you’re gonna have the hottest chicks in the world coming at ya. So, it’s like, singer/songwriter a la Ron Sexsmith, or uhh, I don’t know, somebody along those lines; lots of dudes… lots of dudes. Art type guys coming out and [phone breaks up] umm, if you’re like Bon Jovi and playing American pop-rock, there will be the hottest chicks you’ve ever seen. So, basically, there’s something about having a groove. If you have a groove then more girls are gonna come out for sure. The more introspective and like slower dirge-like, the less hot the chicks are gonna be. But the chicks that do come out for that stuff; intellectual and very arty and cool. Definitely. And probably on the IV drugs, [laughter] y’know? So whatever you are looking for basically. R: [laughter] Well, in my case, I know about 3 chords and have a fairly limited vocal range. What are three things I need to do to be considered a player on the Austin or Lawrence scene? B: Umm, you can do three things to become a huge hit. One, get naked when you play on stage. Two, blow [stuff] up. Three, uhh… get naked and blow [stuff] up on stage and [laughter] every time you play it will be sold out. R: Ok, different type question. Why did you release a second version of Lonelyland? B: Well we had already sold as many records as we thought we could in Austin. So we figured if we put another couple or three tracks on it we can get those same suckers to buy a new CD. And, lo and behold, it worked like a charm. N: What’s the new CD [I Have Seen the End of the World and It Looks Like This] like?We noticed you’ve been selling it at shows. Are you playing more of those songs at shows now? B: We’re playing more of those at the shows now, for sure. But that is definitely artier and more dirge-like and it’s just a bunch of demos I did at home in my room or on my own on the bus. Umm, so we play some of that. There are a couple of songs there that are kinda fun to play. N: Are you using a lot of the vocal effects more on that CD? B: Umm, I used… Umm, on the CD definitely there is. I used it on a couple of songs to the maximum amount of effect on it. But live, I don’t… I do a little bit. I’ve kind of backed off on it a little bit. R: Right now, we know that your home base is in Austin, Texas. If Austin were taken back in some type of guerilla strike by Mexico, where would your new US home base be? B: Well, why wouldn’t I stay in the new Mexican-governed Austin? N: He’s got a good point. R: Yeah, fair enough. B: [laughter] What kind of racist [stuff] is that man? R: Oh, it’s not racist, nationalistic perhaps. But no racism involved. N: We were hoping you’d say Lawrence. B: Uh, yeah OK, Lawrence. [laughter] R: The old bait n’ switch didn’t work that time. B: Here, why don’t you do this: You ask the questions AND you answer ‘em. [laughter] B: You could save yourselves a whole lot of f***ing trouble. R: It wouldn’t make it nearly as good of an interview that way. Umm, on a wild tangent, what is your favorite Saturday Night Live sketch of all time? B: Umm, oh s**t. I like that one where Phil Hartman is doing Frank Sinatra and it’s with Chris Rock and Sting is playing Billy Idol. You know what I’m talking about? It’s all f***ing awesome. And Chris Rock is Luther or… Luke Skywalker from 2 Live Crew. I think that one is my favorite. N: A lot of concerts are being traded around online. Do you enjoy having your shows available online for people to get turned on to your music? B: I do, actually, because the shows are different every night. We try to make them as unique as possible. So, I’m glad actually that people are doing that. Because, otherwise there’d be 50 people, 100 people or 300 people that would see that show and this way they can kind of live on a little bit more and people can really get a better idea of what we do live. Because most of the stuff that I’ve written is not recorded, so it gives people a chance to hear stuff before we come into town, so they are familiar with it when we play it live. N: Have you ever thought about doing a live CD or a live EP? B: Yeah, we’ve been really working on figuring out a way to record the shows. But, I record the shows but usually the recordings aren’t very good. So over the past few months we’ve started multi-tracking all the shows. Now what we’re gonna do with that we don’t know. We’ll probably make it available for people in the next 6 months or so. R: The obligatory question: What are you listening to right now? B: Man, I’ve been listening to all this international hip-hop bunch of German and French [stuff] that [phone breaks up] and Massive Tones and bunch of f***ing bulls**t is really what it is. As far as American groups… I’m crazy in love with the Flaming Lips, of course. And Sparklehorse, even though they haven’t put anything out in a while. Granddaddy. I like groups that play music that’s like really sad but kind of funny at the same time. There’s something I know that I’m not… that I’ve been listening to but I can’t think of what it is. Because I’m on the road, so I just bring my iPod with me, but… mostly it’s on random so… it’s not one particular thing, a pretty varied mix… OH, I know what I’ve been listening to… dude, my two totally favorite songs are that “P.I.M.P.” by 50 Cent and “Stand Up” by Ludacris. Those two songs get crazy repeated play. N: You gonna try to do a cover of “P.I.M.P.” sometime? B: Man, I’ve tried it… it sucks. [laughter] I’d love to be able to cover that song, but it doesn’t work that well. R: That would be pretty sweet, get some steel drums goin live. It’d be quite outrageous. B: It would be good. R: Awesome, well as a continuation of that, if you had to make a mix CD for the largest party ever thrown what would be on it? B: Well definitely those two songs right now for sure. Probably “Tricky” by Run DMC. Umm…“Brickhouse” by The Commodores. Umm… that Whale song… they had one hit back then… “Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe”… you know that song? That [stuff] would be on there. Umm, what else, y’know… that’s a tough one.. I’d have to sit down and think about that one. Probably “Back in Black” or “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC. Probably “My Sharona”... I’m stumped… those songs for sure… “Take On Me” by A-Ha and maybe “Hang On St. Christopher” by Tom Waits… I don’t know what kind of party that would be. B: Oh [laughter] alright, keep’em coming. R: The other side of that token is: If you were to go out in a blaze of glory, what albums would you put in your will to teach Bob Jr. about rock n’ roll? B: Teach who about rock n’ roll? R: Well, the hypothetical Bob Jr. were he to exist at some point in the future. B: What record? The ultimate rock n’ roll record? R: Well, what albums would you put in there to teach your kids about rock n’ roll? B: To teach them about rock n’ roll… Christ…[laughter] I don’t know. Probably Never Mind the Bullocks Here’s the Sex Pistols by the Sex Pistols… or uhh, maybe the Violent Femmes’… whatever the Violent Femmes Violent Femmes record is, y’know… the first one, with Blister… R: Yeah, with “Blister in the Sun.” B: I’d just put… I’d just throw that Violent Femmes record in there and call it a day. That whole record is good, there’s not a bad track on there. That and maybe any Frank Sinatra when he’s uhh… any of the records that he made while he was married to Mia Farrow. [laughter] B: How’s that? There’s your f***ing rock n’ roll right there. That motherf***er was rocking and rolling. He was married to Mia Farrow, [phone breaks up] in the f***ing mob, on top of the world, The Rat Pack. Those guys were tearing [stuff] up in Vegas, I mean it was insane. Those dudes were rocking and rolling. Smoking dope, drinking, that’s your sex, drugs, and rock and roll. N: Where is your favorite place to play at? B: I mean, I gotta say Austin just because it’s my hometown. But umm… I love… I’d put the Bottleneck in the top 10 places in the country to play. And the dressing room at the Bottleneck, the number one dressing room in the state. Have you been up there? R: Really? No, what’s up there that makes it so great? B: Well, first of all, the graffiti is f***ing sweet… and, there’s f***ing beds in there… for f***ing. [laughter] I mean, c’mon. N: We see everyone walking down and we always wonder what’s in there. B: There’s a toilet, there’s graffiti that goes back to the dawn of time and there’s beds that have seen a lot of [bodily fluid]. [laughter] [more laughter] B: Have you not been in there? R: No. B: Oh, you have to go in there and just check it out… It’s legendary. R: Well, we’ll have to figure that one out. Well, Diegel, do you have any other questions? N: Not right now… R: My mind is blown. It’s been… I have to say… at least me and I know for Diegel too it’s a real honor for you to take some time out to talk to us. We’re definitely looking forward to Thursday night N: Yeah, we’re really looking forward to the show. B: Alright, great, we’ll see you guys at the show. R: Thanks Bob N: Thanks Bob. B: Alright, Thank You. Texastroubadors.com Interview (08/03) 1. Why did you decide to pursue music as a career? Well, basically I got into music because I was too afraid to go up and talk to chicks, and I found out that... after I did a couple of talent shows in high school and in college that if you played music, when you got done playing, women would approach you and want to hang out with you. And dudes who didn't want to hang out with you before wanted to like hang out with you and buy you drugs, and give you alcohol and stuff. So, I was really seduced by that whole lifestyle, 'cause I was pretty shy growing up. 2. How would you describe your music? Well, it's pretty eclectic. I like a lot of different types of music, a lot of different styles, so I kinda am influenced by all those different styles, and I think it comes across. I don't really have one particular style that I like more than one another. I listen to a lot of rock, and a lot of rap and... my favorite bands were always those that were eclectic and real diverse, like the Beatles, and Queen, Tom Waits and bands like that where you never knew what you were going to get from record to record. Prince was a lot like that... LSM. So, I guess I'm like the surprise package when it comes to music. 3. Are you offended by having your music categorized as being "Texas Music", rather than being assigned a genre? You know, people tend to label things so they can, you know make more sense of it. So, if I'm going to be labeled a musician from anyplace I wouldn't... Texas... I don't mind being labeled as a Texas musician just because so many great musicians are from Texas.. it's got a great history of wonderful music, so you know I wouldn't mind it. I'd rather just be labeled as a musician than anything of course, but you know.. I like Texas and there's a lot of great music there. 4. Who were your earliest influences? Beatles. But my biggest influence was my Dad.. he was a musician (German Opera singer), so I learned a lot from him. But The Beatles, Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Queen, James Brown, Grandmaster Flash, Furious Five, Run DMC.. those are groups I was listenin' to growing up. 5. What inspires you to write? Well, mostly I just do it now... I don't know why I first started writing songs. I guess I did it just because I could, and now I just do it because it's my job, so I get up and write songs everyday. You know, sometimes I'll just hear something, or something will come into my head... some saying, or someone will say something that's kinda cool. But basically, it's just life.. you live it and you fill yourself up with it, and then you usually have something to write about. 6. How would you say that your writing style differs now, than when you were with Joe Rockhead? The big difference is that I write most of the music... I usually write most of the lyrics, and vocals on my own where with Joe Rockhead we wrote together as a group... we would just go into the practice room and all jam, and write songs that way. We never actually brought in songs, and learned them... we'd grow them right there in the practice room. 7. Of the songs you've written, what two are you most proud of and what are the stories behind the songs? I like "Big Blue Sea" a lot. That's just a song I wrote one day.. I got into an argument with my girlfriend, and got up the next day and wrote it. I like... it's hard to say. I like 2002, it's a really nice song that came out of nowhere. I was sitting in a hotel room in Denver and was just dumped by a girl.. a lot of stories are like... you have some problems with a relationship, and then I have a hard time expressing myself, so I express myself through my music, and you tend to write a lot of crap that way.. but once in awhile you tend to get a good one. 8. You used to band-hop a lot early on in your career. Why do you think fans put so much more focus on you than the average artist who would do that? I think I've just been pretty lucky, and worked really hard it. I've been fortunate enough to play with a lot of fine musicians, and I think it's just a combination of hard work, and being fortunate enough to play with the right guys... I really don't know... I see guys who are great all the time, and they don't have much of a following. So, you know I don't try to ask questions.. I can't figure it out. 9. Is there a certain element that you try to bring to your live show? I try to bring some spontaneity to it, and try to make each one unique and different. I try to not have any rehearsed sort of stuff, and try to reinvent the songs. Basically, I want people to go to that show, and have them walk away feeling like they've been to an event -- that it's never going to happen that way again. Hopefully... we just try to go on the edge a bit, if I just played the songs the way they were written, I think it would be boring for me, and I think it would be boring for the audience. I always like going to see bands who are very energetic, or who are at least taking chances musically. I hope that in every song that there is some creative process going on... you know, because that's where the magic is... in performing and doing something you've never done before -- so we just try to keep the shows unique. (For the record Schneider has been known to bring food to the shows and throw it into the audience) 10. Tell me a bit about your days with Joe Rockhead, and also with the Scabs. They were great. I had a great time with Joe Rockhead... I put my heart and soul into the band... loved it, and loved the guys that I played with.. Same with The Scabs... I enjoy playing with those guys. We still play, but we don't play as much. They're all great musicians, and very creative and innovative musicians. 11. Of all the bands you've played with, which one has been your favorite? I like them all for different reasons. I'm really... I always enjoy what I'm doing now the best, and if I don't, then I'll do something different. So, right now I'm having a great time playing with the guys I'm playing with in Lonelyland... I love playing with the Scabs when we play and playing with Mitch Watkins when we do those shows, I just had a chance to play with some really nice jazz guys on this new record - The Galaxy Kings.. I'll probably book some gigs with those guys and play with them. You know.. as long as the music is fresh, and we're creating' music, and not risking our laurels then I'll continue to like whatever I do. 12. From your experience, what are some of the misconceptions of the music industry? Well, yeah there's a ton of things about it... first and foremost, I thought someone was going to roll out the red carpet and take care of everything and make things happen -- maybe that happens with some people, but that's never been the case with me or any of the bands that I've been with. I think the biggest lesson that I've learned about the music business is that it's best to just do it yourself otherwise it might not get done. 13. What goals have you set for yourself on a personal/musical level, and how do you plan to achieve them? Well personally I'm just looking for what everyone else is looking for, and that's just a little peace of mind, and you know just maybe concentrating on what's important in life, which is seeking some truth in myself and the world that I live in. As far as my goals musically, just to continue doing what I've been doing, which is to continue doing what I've been doing, which is creating music that I enjoy, and that I find pleasing, that's hopefully entertaining for people and to keep recoring it, and putting it out and making those records available for people. 14.1 Do you feel more focused now as a musician than you did in your earlier days? Yeah, I think so. I think I got to a point where I realized what I didn't want to do, and I don't waste a lot of time doing stuff that I don't want to do to reach some goal or whatever. I think that the whole idea behind life... I don't think there's any happiness in one goal -- I think it's all about the journey, and I'm just trying to enjoy the journey right now. 15. What's your fondest career memory so far? One of my favorite... I think my favorite thing was doing the Austin City Limits show... that was a real blast. 16. What's your favorite venue? Antone's - Austin, TX 17. What do you think sets the music scene in Austin apart from the rest of the corporative music world? Well.. see I think it's changing a bit. When I moved there 14 years ago, it was really cheap to live in Austin, the cost of living was really low. So you had a lot of people who were slackers, and didn't do much. They'd basically play music, smoke dope and have fun, and do music that was crazy, and creative, and inventive. It wasn't about making money, it was about freaking out, freaking your friends out, and smoking as much dope and getting (laid) as much as you could... it was never about making the big time, even though everyone does have dreams of making it. As the cost of living has gone up in Austin, it's been harder and harder to make a living... or even ends meet, so I think it's driven some of those slacker types out of Austin and into some of those areas where it's cheaper to live. I think that you still have that ideal in Austin, especially with those who have living there for awhile -- like me, where there's this idea in Austin where you're playing the music because you love to play the music. It's not about... there's no major labels in Austin, or any real way to make it (big) in Austin. You kinda have to go to Chicago or Nashville, or New York, or Los Angeles to get a record deal. I think the major thing that separates Austin from other places is that it's a great place to live, people are nice and very open minded. You can have a band like The Scabs, who covers every kind of range of musical styles from stuff that's completely raunchy and pornographic, to stuff that's very sweet... Yet you just have an audience for it. A lot of artists who are very eclectic tend to do very well in Austin, where they might not in other markets... I just think you have a very tolerant view of the music, and a lot of support as well. The radio stations play a lot of local music, and the clubs really go out of their way to make it easy for you to play at those clubs, whereas I found if you go to other cities.. that the deals clubs make with bands are horrible. I'm so spoiled to live in Austin to where club owners go out of their way to make it easy for you... even if there's nobody in the club, you make a little money, where if you go to Los Angeles, you have to pack the club.. you have to pay the club like $1,000 in ticket buys just to play their clubs.. it's just crazy. 18. What would you say to someone who told you that the music industry is brutal, and that you have to be a cutthroat to survive? I'd say that's probably pretty close to being on the money. The music industry right now... I think in the old days that you had guys who believed in the music that were champion artists and it didn't matter about selling many records --ultimately they wanted to sell records, but if they believed in an artist, they would keep putting out records and hope that eventually something would happen. Look at Randy Newman.. one of my favorite artists of all times.. never had any big selling records. I guess he sold a few records with Small Criminals, but otherwise.. pretty much small selling records, but that record company kept him because he was a great artist. Nowadays, you have the record companies being owned by huge corporations, and it's all about the bottom line... it's not necessarily about artist development. I'm in a very unique position with Universal in that even though I haven't sold that many records -- in comparison to Nelly (Furtado), or Three Doors Down, or guys like that they have on their label, that they're still supportive of me and believe in me, which is a very unique thing in the music industry, because I don't see that happening very often. I'm sure that if I don't sell a lot of records on this next album that will probably be the end of my relationship with them. It gives me some hope.. I'm not saying that all record companies... I know that a lot of people that work at record companies really believe in music, and really love music, but unfortunately at the end of the day, the person that's signing their checks.. if you don't sell the units, then you're out of a job, so there's a lot of dear in the music industry today. 19. If not for music, what would you be doing? I'd be doing art. 20. What are some of the toughest challenges you've faced as a musician? I'm going to let my friend Troy Dillinger answer that.... ...I'd say the toughest challenges you face as a musician are keeping a creative and business balance. That's the toughest problem... Enter Bob with his response... I think your biggest challenge is what Troy said, the hardest thing is when music becomes your livelihood... when you make your living playing music, you have this little voice inside you that's saying "Is this what people are going to want to hear" when you're writing a song. The hardest thing to do is getting rid of those voices, because that will stop you from writing anything. What I try to do when I write songs is not write a good song, or a bad song.. just to let it be what it is, and if it's something I can use and the people enjoy it, then that's great. So the hardest thing is separating those two things. 21. How have those challenges helped shape you as an artist? I don't know if it's helped me anyway, having that challenge. I've definitely gotten a bit better at the business end of it, and I always thought that by being better at the business end of it, that it would take away from my creative side and maybe it has to a certain degree, but not to the point where I'm not writing songs that I don't enjoy. 22. What advice would you offer to aspiring musicians? Just to try and do things by yourself as much as possible. And to just have fun, work hard and try to be patient. The hardest thing is trying to be patient. Everybody wants to be huge overnight, and... I think music is about duration. If you stick with it long enough things are going to happen. If you look at guys like Jimmy Buffett and The Grateful Dead.. those dudes stuck around for 30 years, and at the end of 30 years they were huge. It wasn't like they had some huge hit, and became hugely famous -- and it took time. So, just do what you love and do it because you love it. Don't do it because you want to be famous or sell a lot of records... because you think that might make you happy... If you do it for that reason, I don't think you'll get what you're looking for. Ananova July 15, 2003 Title: Singer's abortion lyrics gets him banned from church gig A singer has been banned from performing at a party in a Minneapolis church because his songs refer to abortion, incest and oral sex. The Basilica of St Mary told Texas singer Bob Schneider his lyrics were "inconsistent with the values" of the Catholic Church The move came even though Schneider played at the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis two years ago without his lyrics becoming an issue. The decision to oust him was made by Father Michael O'Connell after he saw an article about the singer in the Star Tribune newspaper. "That's what got me going," he said, explaining he was bothered to see the word "Basilica" in print with some of the lyrics' topics. Father O'Connell said after he "stewed and prayed," he informed Schneider of his decision over a cup of coffee. He said the singer "was a real gentleman and said, 'I understand.' " There have been more than 100 acts in the Block Party's eight previous years and none has been barred from performing. The event is a fundraiser for renovation work to the Basilica. "It's disappointing for Bob Schneider. The bottom line is it was awkward for the Basilica, and I stand by their decision," said Sue McLean. American Statesman July 17, 2003 BY Michael Corcoran It's been a rough week for Bob Schneider, who not only got bounced from a Catholic-organized gig in Minneapolis because of his sometimes salty lyrics, but may soon be shopping for a new label. "It looks like the new record's not coming out on Universal," Schneider said Monday. After convincing the label brass to let his guitarist Billy Harvey helm the record, rather than some big name producer, Schneider delivered his follow-up to 2001's "Lonelyland," a few weeks ago. But he said he's watched giddy early reaction at Universal/Republic slowly evaporate. Last week, Universal/ Republic President Avery Lipman told me that the label was "still trying to figure out what to do with the (Schneider/Harvey) record." But Schneider said he was told that the album didn't have enough commercial potential to be released as is. "They estimated that it would probably sell about 100,000-200,000 copies and that's not gonna cut it on a major label," said the singer, who added that he won't go back into the studio at the label's request. "As far as we're concerned, the album's done." Despite receiving more publicity than he has since the "Sandra Bullock Stole My Man!" days, Schneider said he's still miffed over his excommunication from the Basilica Block Party in Minnesota Saturday. He received a call the morning of the show telling him that he'd be paid, but wouldn't be allowed to perform at the annual event. The Rev. Michael O'Connell, the pastor of Basilica of St. Mary, the event's sponsor, told reporters he decided to scratch our man Bob after reading an article in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune Thursday which revealed that Schneider's lyrics with his funky Scabs offshoot "include references to oral and anal sex, abortion and incest." Schneider and the Rev. O'Connell met for coffee Saturday "and I told him that I hadn't planned on doing those songs," said Schneider. "I'm always respectful of parents and kids in outdoor settings. But the priest's mind had been made up." Up next for Bob (whose deal with Universal allows him to indulge in side projects), are a CD and book, both called "I've Seen the End of the World and It Looks Like This." The perfect revenge against Catholics and corporate types, the book consists of several naughty drawings and edgy poetry, while the CD is an experimental work Bob recorded home alone. Sold separately, the book and CD should be on shelves in the next week or two. Rated 'Aaarrrhhh' Who knew Carson Daly was at SXSW in March? (And who cared?) The Jolly Garogers did. The buccaneer-themed local garage rock band was tapped to play a "pirate" showcase at Sixth Street's Treasure Island nightclub and after their set Daly told him he'd like to book them on his "Last Call" talk show. "We held him to it," says Garoger Phillip Nitch, who noted that the timing of Johnny Depp's hit flick "Pirates of the Caribbean" didn't hurt. "We drove all the way from Austin -- 32 hours each way -- to do the show," says Nitch, the Backroom's longtime soundman. "But it was worth it, just to step out of a limo in our pirate uniforms, in midtown Manhattan. We felt like KISS for a day." The show airs Friday night at 12:30 a.m. on NBC . . . "Austin City Limits," recently honored with a prestigious Mix magazine award nomination, is starting to get adventurous on us. Chuck Prophet is taping an episode July 30 and Neko Case will do her segment Aug. 9. In between is the more typical "ACL" guest Tracy Chapman Aug. 3. Winners of the Mix mag awards, which pits "ACL" against "24," "Late Show With David Letterman," "Alias" and "Six Feet Under" in the best television sound category, will be announced in October. . . The release of the South Austin Jug Band's self- titled, Lloyd Maines-produced album has been delayed once again, to Aug. 15, as the band waits for the licensing paperwork to clear on Walter Hyatt's "Motor City Man," which the group covers. . . Dallas singer-songwriter Jack Ingram has signed a management deal with Bill Stapleton's Capital Sports Entertainment. . . The Gameover Band, featuring members of Del Castillo, "Spy Kid" Alexa Vega, movie music producer Carl Thiel and director Robert Rodriguez, played at Sunday's big premiere for "Spy Kids 3-D" outside the Paramount. Rapper Overlord, who landed a cut on the soundtrack, was also on hand. . . When carpenter Hal Ketchum moved to Gruene, from upstate New York in the '80s, he had no idea that an infamous, songwriter-friendly dance hall was mere blocks away. But his turns at the open mike convinced Hal to hang up the saw and pursue music full time. It's appropriate, then, that Ketchum headline the first annual Gruene Hall Reunion show Aug. 2, with a support cast of Shake Russell & Dana Cooper, Rosie Flores and Colin Gilmore (wrapping up his debut LP at Congress House). . . Lyle Lovett's latest adventure with livestock is Lovetostrawfly, his 3-year-old Thoroughbred racehorse out of the Sam Houston track in Houston. The offspring of Lovetopassemup and Strawfly hasn't won in seven starts, but he's registered a couple second place finishes and written only two fewer songs than Lyle in the past couple years. mcorcoran@statesman.com; 445-3652 Rolling Stone Magazine April 10, 2001 BY RICHARD SKANSE It's a Monday night in April and all is right with the world in Austin, Texas. Or at least it as at the Saxon Pub just south of downtown, where the reigning king of the Austin music scene, one Bob Schneider, is holding court with his "Lonelyland" band before 200 to 300 closely packed fans. Ask someone at the club for an official head count and they'll only give you the conservative "capacity" as a response. Granted, it's a small room, and the cover is only $5 -- but keep in mind that Schneider pulls this off every Monday night at the Saxon, and has been for almost four years now. On Tuesday nights, he takes his band to the much larger Antone's, where you'll find a line wrapped around the block waiting to get in. It's not unusual to find Schneider also playing Antone's on the weekend, and again once month with his randy, punk-funk soul outfit, the Scabs. In this town, where Schneider has independently released six albums under his own name or the Scabs' in the last two years (all of them best sellers at the local music lover's Mecca, Waterloo Records), "What about Bob?" isn't the title of a Bill Murray movie; it's an answer to "Whaddya wanna do tonight?" Outside of Austin, well, that's another matter entirely. Although his new solo album, Lonelyland, has just been nationally released by Universal Records, to date Schneider's name has only really ever popped up on the national radar in connection with his significant other, one Sandra Bullock. At this moment in his career, Schneider is the proverbial big fish in a small pond, about to experience life as a minnow in the big blue sea. "I think it's more like a medium-sized fish in a small pond being dumped into the ocean from an ocean liner," Schneider offers modestly. For a guy who draws so well in the self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World," Schneider harbors no illusions of where he currently stands in the national scheme of things. "I know some people might say that the reason I get the publicity I do is because of the relationship I'm in, and that might have something to do with it," he says. He further admits his own tendency to "instantly write off" other artists he's never heard of himself that are spotted with celebrities, and allows that if he encounters the same prejudice, it's something he simply can't control. But more importantly, Schneider knows from experience that being signed to a major label does not automatically ensure fortune and glory. Not too long ago, he experienced life on a national label (Capricorn) as part of the Ugly Americans, a rock & roll party band that logged countless miles supporting the likes of Big Head Todd and the Monsters and the Dave Matthews Band along the hard-traveled road to . . . nowhere. "I think the main difference [this time] is that before, when I was signed, I was like, 'All my problems are over now -- I'm going to be happy and rich and famous,'" says Schneider. "None of that happened, and I'm still the same sorry, miserable son of a bitch that I've always been, and no matter what happens with this record -- if it bombs or does really well -- that will still be the case. So the whole idea of getting that thing that you've always wanted that you think is going to make you happy is no longer a factor. I'm a little older and wiser, and I've learned a lot" This time around, Schneider's mind is less occupied with fanciful dreams of stardom than with the question of how to tackle the task before him of promoting a "new" album that he has already been supporting for nearly two years on his home turf. "It's kind of a weird thing," admits Schneider, who in order to keep Austinites coming back to his shows introduces new songs on a weekly basis. "The secret of it not being so horrible is if you remember that these people [outside of Austin] have not heard these songs before, and it's the first time that they've heard you play, so they're going to give off this energy that's like fuel for your car. That excitement is contagious. Now if people don't get excited and I'm playing 'Metal and Steel' for the thousandth time, it's going to be a long three minutes." A plaintive, casually pretty gem in the contemporary singer-songwriter mold, "Metal and Steel" is a no-brainer of an opening track for Lonelyland and most likely Schneider and Universal's best bet for a crossover hit, a-la Shawn Mullins' "Lullaby." But it's far from a typical Schneider song, inasmuch as there really is no typical Schneider song. Lonelyland plays like a CD changer loaded with Tom Waits, Prince, Sting, David Byrne and Beck, in "shuffle" mode. And that's just representative of Schneider in what he calls "Bob Schneider" mode. When he's fronting the Scabs, the funk gets turned up to eleven, and punters are treated to ribald, dance-friendly party songs with titles like "I Fucked Your Daughter in the Ass, Boy." (Though Schneider hastens to point out that, contrary to the Scabs' infamous rep in Austin, "the vast majority of the songs that I write aren't shocking. I've always done my best to write lyrics that I like and really believe in . . . though if a song makes me laugh, I'll play it.") At Schneider's "Lonelyland" gigs in Austin, where he's backed by a crack lounge-style band featuring seasoned local hero/producer Stephen Bruton on guitar, fans are accustomed to hearing Scabs songs reworked into lovely, Triple-A-worthy ballads, and the prettier tunes on Lonelyland dirtied-up with a funky groove or, on a whim, reggaefied. Nobody complains, because the ever-changing mix is what keeps 'em coming back, week after week after week. It's what Austin music lovers have come to expect from Schneider, and precisely why he's thrived. As for whatever level of success -- or failure -- awaits him in the rest of the country, Schneider maintains a Zen outlook. "I took Lonelyland as far as I could in Austin, and now I'm throwing it back in the air to see what happens," he says, shrugging. "I don't really care. At this point in my life, I feel truly successful in doing what I do, which is doing music. But I think it's a good record, and people that I talk to really enjoy the music and get a lot of satisfaction from it. I know that sounds altruistic, but I like the idea of people having something that they like in their lives --- and if I can be a part of that, that's great." US News & World Report Diversions 10/7/02 EDITED BY MARC SILVER Almost famous A good singer's albums are hard to find if they don't fit radio formats BY DAN GILGOFF A little more than six months ago, Norah Jones was a nobody with a new CD. Her smoky voice and tasty piano licks tickled critics, but mainstream radio wouldn't touch the album. Not quite jazz, rock, country, or pop, Come Away With Me didn't fit neatly into a musical box. Record buyers didn't seem to mind. So far, Jones's debut album has sold nearly 3 million copies. Music industry experts cite the runaway success of Come Away With Me as evidence of a huge audience for emotionally resonant music unvarnished by synthesizers or saccharine vocals. "I want to hear music that makes me laugh or cry or feel like I'm not so alone in the world," says Bob Schneider, an Austin-based rock singer/songwriter whose many local music awards (in a first-rate music town) have not translated into much airplay. Jones's label, Blue Note, solved the no-radio problem by shipping thousands of her CDs to businesses that serve the over-20 crowd: coffee shops, spas, even vineyards with tasting rooms. "The idea was that people would hear the record and ask, 'What's that?' " says Zach Hochkeppel, marketing director at Blue Note. That scheme–plus fawning reviews and a discounted $7.99 price tag–helps explain how 30- and 40-year-old record buyers catapulted a 23-year-old crooner from obscurity onto the charts–and MTV. Schneider and other critically acclaimed artists, however, remain out of earshot. One reason is the album glut. Last year's total: 31,734 new titles. And consolidation of radio stations since the lifting of ownership caps in 1996 has resulted in more rigid formats, less independence for DJs, and shorter playlists. Big labels have marketing muscle but can backfire for up-and-comers, who are often overlooked in the push for blockbusters to cover bloated overhead (remember EMI's $28 million deal with Mariah Carey to ensure that she wouldn't release more records?). Acerbic rocker Aimee Mann says her former label, Interscope, gave her little promotional support. Yet she had to fight to leave after her first release. "Labels figure if they let you go, you might have a hit somewhere else," she says. How true. Mann's post-Interscope soundtrack for the film Magnolia sold more than 500,000 copies and earned three Grammy nominations. Fear factor. Only 119 albums released last year sold more than half a million copies–less than 1 percent. The high stakes cause top labels to play it safe. "The labels are operating out of fear," says Jeff Cook, a 25-year music promotion vet now at New West Records. "It has a way of cramping creativity." Many artists who've fallen through the cracks have landed at new independent labels that aim to deliver loyal audiences. With a skeleton staff and no-frills production and promotion, Dualtone can cash in on albums that sell a couple of hundred thousand copies, and sometimes as few as 10,000 copies. "At some point, someone will have radio success," says Scott Robinson, an Arista vet who cofounded the indie label in 2000. "But we're going to release albums, hit or no hit." That's fine with Jim Lauderdale, who has penned chart-toppers for Patty Loveless and George Strait but has missed out on the limelight himself. He's happy to be making his music–"too rock for country, too country for rock," in one critic's words. "If I ever get a hit," he says, "it will be by some kind of wacky luck." Maybe not that wacky. Industry goliaths are following the indies. Last year, Universal Records unveiled Lost Highway, an imprint that produced 16 Grammy nods for its radio-unfriendly music and finished in the black even as albums sales sagged by more than 10 percent. Highway founder Luke Lewis believes his unpolished songsmithrive because of the limp economy. In the '90s, no one wanted to think about pain," he says. "Now, people want something more than audio Prozac." Spotlight No-hit wonders You're unlikely to hear these albums on the FM dial. Try a well-stocked record store or go online: Lonelyland (Bob Schneider, Universal). Scruffy guitar-slinger unloads grief in pithy lyrics and melodic hooks so sharp it's a wonder no one's thought of them before. Opera singer Helga Bullock (Sandra's late mom) delivers an aria on one track; a horn section blats through another. No Other Love(Chuck Prophet, New West). How to make rootsy blues sound exotic: add African percussion, old-school organs, and a souped-up electric guitar–then ask Chuck Prophet to play them all. Lost in Space (Aimee Mann, Superego). Hypnotic slide guitars undergird Mann's swooning vocals on songs more lyrically elliptical than short stories. Rise (Kim Richey, Lost Highway). She's penned hits for the likes of Trisha Yearwood, but Richey is more pop than country. She tours solo with her guitar to keep costs down but appears here with full band and guests like Chuck Prophet. Don't Give Up on Me (Solomon Burke, Fat Possum). Unplugged soul from a forgotten master, with rippling organ, acoustic six-strings, and previously unreleased tunes given to Burke by big shots like Bob Dylan. -D.G. By Stan Hwang Once you attend a Bob Schneider show you can really tell that he and his band are true musicians. How many artists could play for two hours and 40 minutes with 25 songs? How many bands have a drummer playing lead guitar with his drumsticks? What a sight! On Oct. 27, opening act Ike Reilly started right on schedule at 7 p.m. followed by Schneider around 8 p.m. Schneider’s band consists of Bill Harvey on electric guitar, Bruce Hughes on bass, and Mike Longoria on drums, with Schneider himself on vocals and lead guitar. By the time Schneider started playing in the music lounge, the Khyber was packed. Schneider usually draws a crowd of people aged mostly 30 to 50, plus a few people around the Drexel generation. Most of Schneider’s rock/pop songs relate to themes of love and the hardships of being alone. In addition, Schneider manages to add some humor to sex and drinking. His real personality, though, comes through his past life experiences. For instance, one song dedicated to his cousin and mother addresses the issue of Schneider’s hope to make his family proud by finishing college. Later on, Schneider mentions that he still owes his last college money so he won’t be returning to school for quite awhile. He truly shows that his music has helped him grow independently from some very rough and awkward times, such as a bout with drug abuse. The only problem with the show was that nine songs the band played sounded too much like what is on the Lonelyland album. There were a few electric and bass riffs in some of the songs, but that was about it. However, the flowing variety of the music, including, jazz, opera, Hawaiian, and banjo styles, more than made up for the "monotony." To be more creative than they already are and then try to make all their songs more original than their latest CD is a difficult task. Schneider volunteered to sign CDs and speak with people at the end despite his tiring schedule. I stood in line to get three Bob Schneider CDs signed. In front of me, five ladies talked to Schneider about how they heard his song "Metal and Steel" somewhere and how much they loved it. Instead of riding the same train, I just said, "I’m sure you’ve heard it all before. I would just like my three CDs signed." His reply was, "I don’t mind the comments as long as they’re good." With Bob Schneider, you get more than your money’s worth — without a doubt. FEATURE: BEYOND THE VERGE Pg. 42 Here are 20 bands we feel have gone beyond the verge of obscurity, newness and inexperience. They are artists we feel you should know about. More importantly, we think they're artists you will enjoy. They might not be the next big thing, but they've all generated a good word-of-mouth buzz and might be the next small or medium "thing," whatever that means. Now that you know the names, we want you to get buzzed on the music too. Take it in--in any way possible. Maybe it's not your first choice when you saddle up to that great bar of music, but we think that after a couple of rounds you'll be calling them old favorites. BOB SCHNEIDER "As much as I’d like to say that I’m in it for the art, ultimately, I’m just basically in it for the girls." Bob Schneider isn’t ashamed of his motives or the fact that he cries during movies. When he says girls, it’s not in a bling-bling, I’m a rock star, pass the Courvoisier kind of way. It’s more for the fundamental value and need for companionship. It just happens that Schneider, on a Darwinian level, has found the best way to attract them-performing his own material in front of an audience. An Austin resident for the last fourteen years, Schneider first tasted success with Joe Rockethead, a rock-rap outfit that was "kind of like the Chili Peppers, but more rock." With the group breaking up in ’93, he helped form a new one-Ugly Americans. Though he feels they were never a jamband, they were jam-friendly enough to find themselves on the H.O.R.D.E. tour alongside Blues Traveler and Warren Haynes. Hanging on to see what panned out after they signed to a major, he simultaneously formed the Scabs with a homeless guy who was crashing on his couch and a couple of his roommates. Now a nine-piece band that plays different genres of dance music, from salsa and rap to r & b and bluegrass, "it’s the best band I’ve ever played in," according to Schneider. The Scabs still play to packed houses in Austin, but another gig has been taking up a lot of his time: Bob Schneider. After first releasing it himself, Lonelyland was picked up last year by Universal. The aptly titled solo album showcases Schneider’s diversity and talent. From the softer-spoken "Metal & Steel" and "2002" to the gruffy Waits-cabaret feel of "Blue Skies for Everyone" to the headbob funk of "Bullets" or even the light Weezer-tinged "Big Blue Sea," Schneider nails it. He also re-recorded his track, "The World Exploded Into Love," for T-Bone Burnett’s new soundtrack Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood. "I’ve never been comfortable in my own skin, around people or groups. I’ve always felt disconnected." His lyrics certainly convey a sense of this, though he’s not one to hang his head (except if it gets him girls). How much of what he writes is autobiographical? "None of it is true, but there is some truth in there." Typical Schneider. "Here’s the deal: You say it in a song, people will believe the fuck out of it. You say it on stage in a song, it’s the bible. Get on TV and say it, it’s written in stone." Schneider likes being able to reinvent himself since he’s not always happy with his own personal reality. He also reinvents - nix that - creates new music each night he plays, whether it be his solo act band or the Scabs. "I can take a song that I’ve done fifty times live, but play it in a different way and it becomes something new. You are the conduit of something new coming into the world. Of course you can also be the conduit for some crap, which is not so exciting, but that’s the chance you have to take." My advice: take your chances on Bob Schneider. THE FACTS Current Base of Operation: Austin, TX Formed: Debatable; 1993-‘99 Essential Listening: Lonelyland Band members: Bob Schneider (guitar, vocals), Bruce Hughes (bass, vocals), Mike Longoria (drums), David Boyle (keys), Stephen Bruton (guitars) Website: www.bobschneidermusic.com Chosen by Josh Baron (Notes: Bob is the first artist featured and the article is accompanied by the photo of Bob on the leather chair with the dark-shaded clear rimmed glasses on...a common photo...The above has been condensed for space. Other artists included: Railroad Earth, Voices On The Verge, Reid Genauer, Lettuce, and honorable mentions Addison Groove Project, Aesop Rock, Freeloader, Josh Rouse, Living Daylights, Longwave, Lotus, Mamasutra, Mofro, The Motet, Mountain of Venus, Peach Truck Republic, Psychedelic Breakfast, Starling TN, and Who's The Fat Guy.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Satellite’s booster rockets kick in just in time By John Nova Lomax When the Fabulous Satellite Lounge hosts Aztex in a no-over June 15 bash to celebrate a decade on Washington Avenue, they're going to mean it. The last 12 months have been some of the toughest in the club's history. Satellite founder Dickie Malone says the club's troubles are external. It all started with the Great Flood of '01, he says. "Now people stay home if it rains," Malone says. "They're scared, and the TV weathermen make every little shower seem like the Apocalypse." Add to that the downturn in the economy, a post-September 11 malaise, and the Continental Club's nibbling at the fringes of the Satellite's audience, and Malone's external theory seems pretty solid. But former Satellite manager David Beebe, who now holds a similar position at the Continental, has another theory. Beebe believes that Malone has brought many of the club's troubles on himself. First off, the Satellite's monthly schedules have grown too conservative, he says. "They made the decision that they wouldn't lose money on any show ever," Beebe says. "That makes sense in the short run, but not in the long run." Beebe also believes that Malone erred in ending the club's unofficial midweek band-development night. Beebe concedes that these rep- building gigs don't make much, if any, immediate money. The payoff comes months later. "That's where you pick up the word of mouth," he says. "You get a good cross-section of people who go out a lot. Bartenders at other bars, they come to nights like this and then people ask them what to do or where to go, and they tell 'em. It worked for Jug O' Lightnin's Sunday nights at Rudz, or our El Orbits bingo night or whatever. You lose a little money, but those nights do a lot for you." Neither, says Beebe, is the Satellite attentive to the cash-strapped among us. "They did away with all the drink specials the minute I left," Beebe says. "You've gotta have something for the people who have no money to get them in and spend what they got." "I don't do drink specials," Malone admits. "But I don't have high drink prices. Anyway, people don't come here to get 50 cents off a beer. They come to hear the band. I live and die by the bands that I book, and they are bands that have been popular here for a long time. Bob Schneider has been playing here for eight years. He used to play here to 20 people with the Ugly Americans." Ah, yes, Mr. Schneider. Lately, clubbers might be forgiven for tripping on the bar's bulky name -- it's seemed less like the Fabulous Satellite Lounge than the Continuous Schneiderite Lounge. The multifaceted Austinite has played the Satellite six times in the last two months. (Perhaps the recent split between Schneider and Sandra Bullock was brought about by the singer's too-frequent trips to Houston.) "That's bad for the Satellite's reputation," claims Beebe. "The big joke around town is 'Oh, Bob Schneider's playing tonight -- and every other night they're open.' That's one of those things where it's just being played out until it won't play anymore." "There's no Schneider shows the rest of June, and there's none in July," counters Malone. "I'll go head-to-head with Schneider against anything he has over there at the Continental. Maybe he's just jealous because he doesn't have Schneider." Maybe Malone would be interested in another piece of unsolicited advice: Beebe believes his decision to scrap the Satellite's mailing list was also a mistake. Malone says that mailing lists are too expensive and have been made obsolete by e-mail. Beebe disagrees. "Direct marketing is your most effective way to market yourself in this business," he says. "You gotta send out the calendar." Malone is puzzled and a little amused by the fact that Beebe seems so engrossed in what goes on at his club. Indeed, Beebe first shared his Satellite theories with Racket largely unbidden during an interview that was supposed to focus on his recent brush with death. Beebe reiterated his opinions a couple of weeks ago in another chat. Is this just a case of a competitor spitting flak? Beebe denies any financial interest in seeing the Satellite drop out of orbit. In fact, he denies that the Continental and the Satellite are even direct competitors, which Racket thinks is a somewhat dubious claim. "I love the club," he says, more believably. "For everybody's betterment, they need to stay open. It's really important that they don't close." In Malone's defense, the bookings are getting more intriguing. Yes, staples like Soulhat and Patrice Pike will pop up a few more times over the summer, but Martin Sexton and Nashville legends Jason and the Scorchers will also appear. Later this month, New Orleans funksters Papa Grows Funk and L.A. raunch rockers Nashville Pussy are on the slate. The worst appears to be over. And maybe if we can get Ed Brandon and Dr. Neil Frank to stop telling us the sky is falling, the Satellite can fly for another ten years ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wolfpack Productions [Album Review] Hype is a hydra-a gigantic nine-headed monster with an immortal center head. Cut off one of the heads and two more grow in its place. One guy in an Austin club talks about Bob Schneider. His friends don't believe him. They cut his head off and then go see Schneider... and they're converted. Two new heads where there once was one. Stories make their way east from Texas about this singer-songwriter who sounds like Pete Droge and sells out shows twice a week in Austin, where he is a local superstar. Those of us far away on the coast wonder how much of what filters back is hype and how much is truth because, as those of us back east are wont to be, we are cynical. We don't believe the hype. So when we hear that this legend has an album coming out, we're prepared. Heracles discovered that the only way to kill the hydra was to burn its roots with firebrands and then cut off the immortal head. I cracked my knuckles and prepared to type, prepared to kill this vicious hype beast. But a funny thing happened on the way to the chopping block. I listened to Lonelyland, Schneider's major label debut and suddenly, not only did I believe the hype, but I also got knocked flat on my ass by this amazing record. From the languidly powerful "Metal and Steel" to the groove-alicious "Round and Round" (a song that might become the sleeper hit of the summer), this immensely talented singer-songwriter alternates alt-country with brooding rock and roll, while mixing in everything from reggae to Tejano influences along the way. Schneider grooves, twangs, kicks out the honky-tonk jams, and then--just when you think you have him pegged--throws in a tune like "Moon Song" that could be as much at home in a ballroom as it could in a grungy rock club. Every track on this disc is a killer--each distinct enough that you never feel like you're listening to the same song twice. Yet, this album has a flow for which many musicians have searched for years. This disc makes it abundantly clear that Schneider's live performances must truly be as legendary as they are rumored to be. Masterfully produced, this album perfectly balances raw energy with a heart-wrenching mix of confidence and longing that begs for repeated spins. In the haunting seven minute, 34 second "Madeline," Schneider begs the title character to "save me from myself." This plaintive request from a tortured soul solidifies this albums greatness. Someday, around the same time that Schneider's girlfriend Sandra Bullock is nothing more than an answer to countless bad movie trivia questions, people will put this album in their CD players and think about the first time they heard the first great album of the new century and one of the best discs of 2001. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Andrew Arora Hybrid Magazine [Album Review] He's someone whose stage presence and music can make girls swoon hysterically, a sight which can be better described as a courtship than a moshpit. These twenty-somethings who found their grunge-filled adolescence lacking a real heartthrob have now found bliss with Bob Schneider. Schneider really started turning heads about nine years ago when he formed the memorable Ugly Americans. In 1996, convinced his heart wasn’t in the Americans anymore, he created the boundary-less band The Scabs that was able to share equal success from both critics and an avid college party scene. An eventual transition to a more experimental band called LonelyLand led to a solo effort that included songs on a major motion picture starring ex-girlfriend Sandra Bullock and an eventual deal with Universal Records. Schneider’s debut release on Universal, appropriately entitled LonelyLand, blends a few music styles. It creates more of a funk rock that mixes some jazz and blues – music you can jam and chill to. He finds a way to throw in some bongo drums too, finding this eerie yet? It undeniably is a unique sound, and it would be unjust to categorize it into any culturally accepted variety. The first song on this 14-track album is “Metal and Steel.” This acoustic soft tune draws you in from the start with its catchy chorus. The metaphorical lyrics and murky undertone radiate throughout the rest of the album. “Big Blue Sea”, reminds us of the roller coaster ride life can be, adequately summed up in the first few lines: woke up in a stupor/guess its time to face the pooper/sometimes I feel like superman/sometimes I’m just recooperating. It is wonderful lyrically, and Schneider succeeds in the song’s requirement of strong vocals to uphold the harmony. The album does have some hiccups. “Jingy” goes a little overboard with funk to fit in with the rest of the record. Although this maybe a song that Schneider’s is letting loose and having some fun with, it doesn’t help the flow of the album, and just unpleasant to listen too. The opening lyrics: I have a monkey and his name is Jingy, gives you just this disgusting feeling of cycling through mellow James Brown tunes. The pseudo-ska “Bullets” is another song worth skipping, and should just be saved for filler on a live album. At best it could entertain a sit-down bar crowd finding the time during this song to break the seal. These sound more like songs put on the album to boast the musical range of Schneider rather than add any value. Schneider quickly recovers with “The World Exploded into Love,” and “Moon Song.” These tracks lets you know there is still some happiness in his sometimes-gloomy beats and narratives. “The World” is a gentle ballad that helps Schneider describe love in the simplest way - The world exploded into love around me and every time I take a look around me I have to smile. While “Moon” makes you feel like you are sippin' mai tai’s with Gypsy Kings on a remote beach, somewhere in the South Pacific. If you want to impress your friends, play “Tokyo” for everyone you know. This is the middle ground that showcases Schneider’s musical intellect with his knack for writing great melodies. This track is adequately placed to serve as the climatic point of the album. The track’s surprising jazzy edge really showcases Schneider’s musical range. The album ends with a couple of strong songs “2002” and “Oklahoma.” LonelyLand is an album that might not sprint, but will eventually walk, sit, have some pie and may never leave your CD changer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Wil Owen Rambles Cultural Art Magazine: 15 September 2001 [Album Review] Usually when I write a review, I have no trouble pigeon-holing the band or artist. Celtic is Celtic, country is pretty distinctive, etc. But now I am sitting here reviewing Bob Schneider and his album Lonelyland and I am having a hard time categorizing this guy. His music is quite diverse. When all is said and done, he is rather talented. But Rambles doesn't have a section marked "talented." Here is a man who was born in Ypsilanti, MI, but grew up in Germany with his father, who also happens to be a lifelong musician. Bob says that his biggest musical influence was when he was a 10-year-old fledgling drummer. The senior Schneider "would dress him in a leisure suit and take him along to moonlight jobs where they would perform hits from the '40s through the '70s." Bob now resides in Austin, Texas. As most people in Texas know, Austin is quite the happening place for music. Those familiar with the Austin scene might recognize some of the local acts that Bob fronted for over the years -- Joe Rockhead (a funk band), Ugly Americans (who toured with Dave Matthews at one point) and The Scabs (a "full-throttle" party band). Bob swept the 2000 Austin Music Awards, winning nine awards due to his talents as a singer/songwriter. Lonelyland starts out with the catchy radio tune "Metal and Steel." This song is mellow "alternative" college-type music with guitars and light keyboards. I really like it and can hear the mass appeal of the tune. "Big Blue Sea" is of similar ilk and might lead one to think that they have the timbre of this album down. That is when Bob throws you with the bizarre song "Jingy," a kind of a funk-based tune that took a while to grow on me, but now I like it more than most of the other works on the CD. Oh! Jingy is the monkey on Bob's back. Need I say more? "Bullets" wins the quirky lyrics award for this CD. As best as I can make out, the chorus of this funk-based, horn-filled tune goes something like, "You got bullets, I got time. You bring the bullets. I'll bring the wine. You bring the bullets, I'll bring my bat 'cause I can tell you where it is, but I can't tell you where it's at." And strange as that sounds, I have so far been unsuccessful trying not to bounce to the beat and singing along every time I hear "Bullets" played. "Round and Round" is another radio tune. If I heard this on the radio, I would have thought it was a new Paul Simon song. One of the better tunes on the CD, with cool guitar playing, it evokes feelings of being near the ocean because of the Calypso beat combined with some African (I am guessing here) backing vocals towards the end. "Moon Song" is another tropical beach song but now I think of Jimmy Buffet. (Maybe I just need a vacation.) While Bob sounds nothing like Sting, "Madeline" sounds like it could be on one of Sting's recent CDs. It has a little bit of a jazzy flavor. "Blue Skies For Everyone" is dominated by what sounds like a banjo. This is a fun tune that is very reminiscent of Tom Waits (if you use your imagination a little). "Oklahoma" is the only song I am not too thrilled with on Lonelyland. At more than seven minutes, it is little too long. (Just because I live in Texas, I am not biased againsts Oklahoma. Honest!) As you can tell, this CD does not have one distinctive style, although it leans more towards alternative rock than folk. Bob explores many different genres as he showcases his talents as a musician and songwriter. I get the impression from the CD that Bob is more of a live act. As good as the CD is, I bet that he is even better when performing in public. As good as this CD is, I am going to recommend you put it on your list of CDs to acquire in the near future. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Source: Boulder Weekly, 8/2/01 by Alan Scully Since Bob Schneider's first nationally released CD, Lonelyland, was released earlier this year, few articles have appeared that haven't prominently mentioned that he is dating actress Sandra Bullock. Certainly Schneider, a veteran of the vibrant Austin, Texas music scene, knew that dating such a high-profile actress would become a point of interest. But he's concerned about the impression it might be creating. "The concern that I have with that whole thing is if I was reading an article about somebody and I had never heard any of their music-if I just saw an article about Bob Schneider and I had never heard a song of his-and during the article I read he's dating Sandra Bullock, I might immediately discount that person," Schneider said. "Well the only reason that I'm hearing about him is because of who he's dating. So that's my only concern. But in Austin, where people know me and they've heard my music and they see me perform, it doesn't matter to me at all. I'm very proud and, you know, I love who I'm dating. So my concern is that people are going to discount me because of that." But those who doubt Schneider or overlook his music will miss out on a singer-songwriter who has delivered a compelling set of songs on Lonelyland. Displaying an uncommonly broad stylistic reach, the CD has easy-going folk-pop on "Metal & Steel," potent funk-rock on "Bullets" and "Jingy," winsome yet sturdy pop on "The World Exploded Into Love" and "Big Blue Sea," and even some island rhythm injected into the acoustic sound of "Moon Song." Still, Lonelyland sounds cohesive-virtually every song is well crafted, with strong melodies and clever lyrics that display plenty of edgy emotion. Schneider fronted the three popular Austin-based bands Joe Rockhead, the Ugly Americans, and the Scabs before going solo, and sold 15,000 copies of Lonelyland locally before signing with Universal Records. He is aware that the diversity of his music may not be doing Lonelyland any favors. But he credits Universal for continuing to push his CD, despite the fact that it has failed to make a major commercial impact in the five months since its release. "Normally if it hasn't sold a half million or a million copies (in the first several months), they (typical record companies) would have lost interest in it," Schneider said. "They (Universal) are still totally behind it and they say they're in it for the long haul, which is really impressive. Especially in today's climate, where it's not about vision, for the most part, it's about dollars and cents. Most of the record companies now, including Universal, are owned by these huge conglomerates. At the end of the day it's like how many records have you sold? And we don't care how good an artist is, if you haven't sold the records, you're out. It's a weird situation." Schneider is aware that his eclectic approach to music means he faces an uphill battle in order to have his music heard by mainstream audiences in today's tightly formatted music scene. But Schneider said he tries to ignore those concerns when it comes to creating music. "The thing that would kill you as a writer would be to try and second guess what people might like," Schneider said. "For me, what I've done over the past two or three years since I started pursuing a solo career is to think as small as I possibly can. I try to think of an audience of one, with myself being the audience. Instead of trying to go 'What are the record people going to like, what is the audience going to like,' I try to ignore all of that and I just listen to the voice in my head and go 'What do I want to hear?' And then you just write down whatever comes. "I like being eclectic. You have the entire emotional palette that you can play with. You can be angry or as sweet or joyful or bitter or anywhere in between that you want to go. You can be satirical and just goofy, or you can take yourself really seriously. I love doing all those things. Then you have all these styles of music from all over the world that you can choose from, to play out those little emotional art pieces that you write. I don't know why people don't take advantage of it, all of this stuff that you can do. And my favorite thing to do is use all that stuff. Lonelyland, as eclectic as that album is, is nowhere near as eclectic as we are when we play live. We're way more rocking and we're way more mellow. We're also way more raunchy and way more silly than that record. That record is just one slice of the pie, really." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By Heather Smith Austin music connoisseurs may remember a quirky funk band called Joerockhead that got its start in the late 1980s. They started rather unpretentiouly, opening for Soul Hat at the Black Cat Lounge on Sixth Street in Austin. I first saw Joerockhead in 1991 and was amazed by the size of their following, whose ranks I joined. Soon after they put out a CD, the band split up. While Austin mourned the loss of a great funk band, Joerockhead's lead vocalist Bob Schneider began searching for another outlet for his creativity. So the Ugly Americans were born in 1993 when he joined forces with musicians Bruce Hughes, Max Evens, Dave Robinson, Sean McCarthy and Corey Mauser. The band started off much like Joerockhead, performing at the Black Cat and gathering a large group of fans. Like many successful Austin bands, their following soon became so large that they moved to larger clubs. In 1994 they produced a CD on an independent label out of Colorado, What Are Records? Their debut album, Ugly Americans , has a sound similar to that of Joerockhead except their version of funk is more bluesy and less influenced by rap. The band creates some interesting sounds with a C3 organ in addition to the usual rhythm, lead and bass guitars and drums. The Ugly Americans' songs have a lot in common with many Austin funk bands since they are concerned with many of the same issues. "Love in the House" discusses the need for love, peace and harmony while "Don't Gimme no Lip" talks about drinking and smoking reefer. These sentiments are found in the songs of other funk bands like Little Sister, Soul Hat and Rhythm Child. The Ugly Americans differ from other bands, though. They stand out in the crowd of Austin funk bands. Ugly Americans is lots of fun to listen to because of its upbeat tempo. It's the danceable type of stuff that goes over well at parties. I highly recommend their live performances as well. If you ever want to see a fun, crazy band that will keep you in the mood to dance all night long, the Ugly Americans are the band to see. But if you can't make the trip to see them, buy the Ugly Americans CD. This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the April 21, 1995 issue. Copyright © 1996 The Rice Thresher. All Rights Reserved. This document may be distributed electronically, provided that it is distributed in its entirety and includes this notice. However, it cannot be reprinted without the express written permission of: The Rice Thresher, Rice University, 6100 Main, Houston, TX 77005-1892, USA. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By Steven Wine / Associated Press Austin's Bob Schneider doesn't fit the stereotype of Texas singer-songwriters: There's no twang in his vocals, no trucks in his lyrics. Schneider has more in common with Elliott Smith or Freedy Johnston than with Lyle Lovett or Townes Van Zandt, and his music falls into the nebulous zone of rock-slash-pop, a fringe niche these days. That may be why this marvelous debut album was overlooked this year. Lonelyland is distinctive because of Schneider's wry sensibility, his marvelous gift for melody and the album's thick bass, which enriches the texture, rather than merely serving the groove. Not that Schneider can't swing -- he combines an African beat and operatic descant on "Round & Round," then finds a bouncy Latin pulse on "Moon Song." There are hooks galore throughout the album, making even a pair of 7 minute tunes seem short. Nearly an hour into the record, Schneider serves up "2002," a musical missive from a slacker to his ex-girlfriend that's funny and sad. In another era or a better world, it would be a strong contender for song of the year. ***Worthwhile ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bob Schneider: Lonleyland (Universal) If you have loved and lost, wanted for love, sought a return to simpler days, hoped for a simpler life, longed for an end to the grind of an emotional life - all the while feeling uncertain, if not outright hostile towards yourself - then spending a few hours in Bob Schneider's Lonleyland would be well-spent. Lonleyland, the much-ballyhooed debut CD of the Austin artist, is not itself a state of mind, nor a physical place; it strikes the listener as the meeting point where a series of Schneider's very good songs become tied together to create a cohesive whole that is infinitely stronger than the sum of its parts. Schneider's songs seem to achieve an optimal balance of power and grace; he is not one to go overboard to make a point, nor is he one bludgeon the listener. This keeps him honest to the content of his songs, which tends to remain simple and almost pastoral elegies to sadness, pain and the lifting off the soul thereof. "The World Exploded into Love" is one such example. It achieves its pleasant meaning by keeping its composition simple. The song allows the voice of its narrator to shine through, and thus is successful with its intent rather than trite, banal or mundane. While Schneider can carry off the simple ditty, he also succeeds with more aggressive endeavors that communicate periods of psychological dissonance. "Jingy" is one such example - wherein Schneider makes use of askew, jumpy music, echo and background effects to augment his voice as he sings of mythical monkey Paolo Joe Jingy, buried in the backyard, laughing at our narrator. Again, we have balance here, the intent of the song communicated without being overwrought. To put it simply, Schneider hits the right note, on this and almost every track on the album. Schneider rarely comes up short, and when he does, we are willing to forgive him. In "Bullets," the refrain tends distracts us for its contrast to the music: "You've got the bullets / I've got the time / you bring your bullets / I'll bring the wine," but we're still willing to ride out the song with him. So too "Madeline" allows us, over the course of seven-plus minutes, to sink from active listening to passive disengagement - lulled, perhaps, by its wooden repetitiveness. "Tokyo" which comes on its heels, also fails to draw us in. These songs, however, are not poor songs in and of themselves. The truth is not every song can be a home run, and Schneider's album is littered with a few bloop singles and sacrifice flies: "Moon Song" can't be called more than a ditty (nor does it want to be); "Better" seems emotionally washed of the longing sentiment is purports - why not ship that one off to Flock of Seagulls and be done with it. The album is carried by a few triples and home runs. "Metal and Steel," "Big Blue Sea" and "Blue Skies for Everyone" draw us in with their energy, keep us fascinated with their ability to communicate intimate, personal issues without striking us as callow acts of self-expiation; This, in a nutshell, is Schneider's talent. We needn't identify with the pain of his narrators; rather we can recognize and appreciate their honesty. While many of these songs put ducks on the pond, it is the simplistic story-song "2002" that clears the bases with a towering shot over the fence in right-center. Ostensibly, the song begins with the narrator writing a former love interest about the turns his life had taken since their breakup: "Had to get out of town/ So I headed out west/ Ended up in Seattle/ Thought I'd start a brand new band/ Thought I'd call it Lonleyland/ Things got a little out of hand/ Ended up hooked on heroin" For its simplistic rhyme scheme, Schneider is able - with an honest, likable voice and music that starts simply and builds progressively - to string together a powerful tale in which we recognize the narrator's inability to be honest with himself: though he tells his lost love that he hardly thinks of her, he is compelled to update her on every stage of his life since their break up; though he claims he is "doing exactly what I wanted to" he later confesses: "Moved back tot Austin 'bout a year ago/ Drive a school bus. I don't drink no more/ Go out every once in a while and see a show/ But mostly I just watch TV/ "So I don't know where I'm gonna send this letter/ Doubt things are ever gonna get much better/ Seems like life's one big whatever/ Anyway" Because we can see him struggling with this fundamental dichotomy - his public persona versus his private assessment, we like him. He is both intimately and classically human at once; he is in pain and does not want to admit it, and we genuinely feel for him. The unformed-band Lonleyland represents this state, something longed for but for whatever reasons not achieved - the theme runs consistently through the album. In the end, Lonleyland is much more than the band our narrator intended to start in Seattle. Lonleyland is where the sentiments expressed in Schneider's song come to meet: while they can articulate simple pleasure and simple sadness, disconnection and fascination, desire and contention. They are all parts of a greater whole. Song-by-song, the tracks are if not good, then honest. As a whole, the album is complete and satisfying. (Peter W. Brown) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tall Poppy Bob Schneider goes nationwide without the -- gasp! -- approval of Austin's hipsters BY ROB PATTERSON Schneider's relationship with Sandra Bullock has only fueled a backlash from Austin's hipster elite. It's Saturday afternoon during this year's South by Southwest, and the collection of independent parties known as South by South Congress is in full swing along the main thoroughfare of South Austin, Texas. Musical acts perform at a variety of establishments along the avenue and in the alley behind it. The Yard Dog folk art gallery helped originate this tradition with an annual multi-day bash that features the cream, as well as the crumbs, of alternative country. The joint's proprietor, a sometime musician with roots in Austin's New Sincerity days, is doing bang-up business in the front of his store. But at the party out back, an unscheduled performer has sneaked on stage, and the owner is irked. With a hammy expression and sardonic edge, he announces to a crony, "Gee, who's playing now?" The response comes back slathered with sarcasm: "I don't know who that is." What's got them bothered is that Bob Schneider has dared to mount the Yard Dog hustings for a few songs with his acoustic guitar. As he plays, a local music scene follower makes a "puke me" hand gesture. "Bob Schneider! Ick!" she chirps with a nasty edge. A few months later, during an idyllic spring afternoon, the incident is related to Schneider over brisket at a local restaurant. Asked how he feels about it, Schneider replies: "Man, I want to be loved by everybody. I want every single person in the world to agree that I'm the greatest musician ever," he says calmly. "[When] I get a negative review or someone says that I'm pretty good or compares me to artists that I don't like -- anything that doesn't fit that level of perfection I'm looking for -- I get annoyed. So you tell me that story, and I go, 'Can't that woman see how great I am?'" Such braggadocio usually elicits a gag reflex from journalists. But Schneider's comments were preceded by modesty, a humility matched, to be sure, by a calm confidence. The "every person should agree I'm the greatest" attitude seems more apropos of the onstage Schneider that fronted Joe Rockhead, the Ugly Americans and the Scabs, the club-packing party bands that successively ruled the Austin scene for the better part of the last decade. And, as if to prove the point, the boastful talk is quickly followed by words of reason. "Unfortunately, not everybody is going to dig what I do, not matter how well I want to do it. The more successful I get, the more suspicious people are going to be, especially people who are too cool for school." Yes, there are a few of those people in the environs of Town Lake. Austin is a hotbed for the hipper-than-thou squad. The local scene purports to be supportive but is marked by vicious backbiting. And Schneider has committed some cardinal sins against the Capital City cool canon. First, he's dared to make a good living, and he doesn't subsist on the meager fare of critical acclaim and tiny select audiences of the hipster elite. Also, instead of displaying the de rigueur postmodern detachment, Schneider is a fervent entertainer who draws -- gasp! -- hordes of hormonal college kids to his gigs. And last, he's won the heart of Sandra Bullock, America's sweetheart and Austin's biggest resident celebrity. Worst of all, he's done it all without being anointed by the local hip crowd. One might easily surmise some poorly concealed envy from those who dismiss Schneider with such cavalier nastiness -- tall poppies like Schneider are no match for the razor tongues of Austin's would-be wags -- not to mention plain old ignorance. "They've never seen me play, and they've never listened to my music," says Schneider. "But I do the same thing. There's huge groups like 'N Sync and Backstreet Boys, who I immediately discount, without hearing, as talentless." But unlike his detractors, Schneider has an open mind. "I just saw part of a show that 'N Sync did at Madison Square Garden, and it was pretty amazing. They were rocking the shit out of that place, way harder than I probably could do. But I've always blown those guys off. Do they suck? I have no fucking idea. And having a little bit of success has made me realize that I'm just as close-minded as anybody. So when I hear that kind of stuff, it sounds like something I would [say]. Who knows? Maybe that girl who turned up her nose might hear a record of mine one day, and go, 'Oh, that guy's pretty good.' Or she may hear it and still hate it. I don't give a fuck, y'know?" Of course, Schneider probably does give a fuck, although his accomplishments no doubt salve any wounds from such sniping. His Lonelyland album, first released by Schneider on his own label, was the best-selling disc ever, local or national, at Austin's Waterloo Records, selling some 7,500 copies on first release and doubling those numbers since its major-label rerelease. Now Universal, which has signed Schneider to a deal that allows him to continue putting out records on his own, hopes to expand those numbers beyond the Lone Star State's Latte City on the Lake. The reason that Schneider sells so well in Austin isn't just his party band popularity. The people pooh-poohing him at the Yard Dog party probably weren't disposed to hearing how Schneider's songs, stripped nearly bare, are as well-crafted and imaginative as any heard all week at the mega-event, maybe more so. National critics are dropping names like Prince, Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Randy Newman, Van Morrison, Beck, Sting and David Byrne in reviews of Lonelyland, and not without due cause. Rich in musicality and sincere in intent, the album is a sophisticated pop-rock collection beyond anything else the oft-overrated Austin scene has produced in recent years. For Schneider, the secret to his long-running success has always been simple. "The one thing that I've consistently tried to do is have something new every time I play," he explains. "I don't think you can play two songs in a row and not have anything new. "Every time somebody comes to a show, I want them to see something that they're never going to see again, and also hear something they've never heard before." Now he's hoping to export that philosophy beyond Texas. As his circle of influence widens, however, Schneider has to deal with more than the usual Austin bullshit; there's the inevitable jealousy and conspiracy theories that go with dating a famous actress. "When you start dating a celebrity, it turns the whole world into high school again," he notes. What irks him is how "people are going to draw the conclusion that I suck, and the only reason they are hearing about me is because of who I'm dating," he says. "I work really hard at what I do. To have it possibly negated because of who I'm dating annoys me." But having put his party days behind him, Schneider is finding satisfaction in being Austin's hardest-working musician (not to damn the man with faint praise). "I don't know what I'm going to do after I get bored with this," he surmises. "Maybe I'll have to change my name. "Cleaning up my act has given me a chance to figure out what's going to make me happy, and come closer to discarding the idea that fame and fortune is going to do it," he concludes. "I think what's going to make me happy is being okay with the world and coming to peace with myself and the world." And, maybe, to one day have that faux hipsterette brag to all and sundry about how she once saw the great Bob Schneider perform solo behind a folk art gallery on South Congress in Austin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Album Name Lonelyland Review Title: Lonelyland Author: Logan Henderson Band Name: Bob Schneider Label Name: Universal Records Released on 2001 When I first got a preview CD of Bob Schneider's new CD, Lonelyland, I (and by extension RedneckUnderground.com) was quite flattered to have reached the stature of getting prerelease CDs. As I read the attached bio of Bob Schneider, I started wondering why I hadn't heard of him before. The resume is quite impressive; he has sold 15,000 copies of a self released CD at just one store, won nine Austin Music Awards, toured with Dave Mathews (I opted not to hold that against him) and HORDE, and had the wherewithal to have a promotional company that sent the CD to me. How could I not have heard of this guy, what with my finger on the pulse of cowpunk, alt country, and apocalyptic trucker rock? I soon discovered the reason for my ignorance of him after I listened to the CD, quite simply, he doesn't fit in. I don't mean that in a bad way by any means, simply that his music is not in keeping with the mission statement that Steve and I haven't gotten around to writing yet. But that being the case, here is the rest of the review. Lonelyland is the inaugural major label CD from Austin musician Bob Schneider. It weighs in at 14 well-produced tracks of varying styles and tempos. This is one of the rare albums I've reviewed that had a flawless song order, and is something of a rarity in the wide assortment of styles exhibited on the album. It ranges from the worst song on the album, the sort of hip-hop Jingy, to the best song on the album, the sort of talking-blues 2002. Come to think of it, that last sentence exemplifies the album rather well; it is "sort of" al lot of things. Not too folk, not too punk (actually not punk at all), not too rock, not too blues, not too hip-hop (except for Jingy), not too happy, not too sad, not too loud, not too quiet. Basically, it's a collection of happy mediums, like the porridge that Goldilocks chose, or Canada. The album is incredibly smooth, almost on the level of make-out music. This hurts the album slightly; there are very few songs that really jump out at you, which necessitates several hard listens (I use headphones for the first few listens of an album and it was still hard) to really get a grasp of the songs individually. The standout songs on the album are The World Exploded Into Love and 2002. 2002 is essentially a talking blues about (presumably) Schneider's life and travels. As a story, it is well told and interesting. The music also goes very well with the story and delivery. The worst song on the album, Jingy, seems like an experiment with hip-hop that went horribly awry. Enough about Jingy. In conclusion, Lonelyland is NOT of the genre the average Redneck Underground patron is accustomed to. However, it is smooth, well written, and would probably make a good gift for a friend with more mainstream taste. Lonelyland is something that, upon hearing your friends playing it, you would probably come to the conclusion that although their musical tastes aren't quite up to snuff, at least they're getting better at picking bands. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Singer, guitarist disagrees with consumerism, uses it to promote new album Musician Bob Schneider says it's not about making hits but about writing songs and creating art that matter most to him. By Maggie Burnett Musician Bob Schneider harps on the entertainment industry yet finds himself in a musical limelight. Most people would not come right out and label themselves a "walking contradiction." Then again, Bob Schneider, a musician from Austin, Texas, is not like most people. Despite the successful sales of his latest album Lonelyland - the CD sold over 15,000 copies in just one Texas store - Schneider's far-from-ordinary view on the music business makes him stand out from some of the more mainstream artists in the circuit. "My motto is 'Steal from the best, fuck the rest,'" he said with a laugh. "The entertainment industry and our entire culture is a consumer-based society. Everything in our society is based on consumption of worthless crap you don't need." Schneider, performing at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St., Sunday night at 9, could not describe his style of music in one word. "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture - you can't describe music. You have to listen to it to understand it," he said. "The music is actually touching you. It moves the air. It caresses you and you have an experience with it unlike any other." Still, Schneider admitted his opinion of the entertainment industry is a perilous one, especially for an up-and-coming artist trying to make his way in the music world. "It's dangerous and not good for business at all," he said. "We're told that stuff is important constantly. No matter how much we question whether we need it, part of us is going to say we need it so that your life can have some structure and stability even though it never will." So how does a musician with this kind of attitude get his work signed to a record company? Apparently without much effort. Lonelyland, Schneider's second solo album, was picked up by Universal Records earlier this year after he released it himself under an independent record label. "Universal is a bit of an anomaly because the people who run that label are kind of old-school guys and they do believe in art as a vision," he said. Although it may seem Schneider bears angst toward the entertainment industry and consumerism in general, he takes an ironic approach to his profession. "You can put on my record and it will be something you can play on the radio or MTV or VH1 and they'll see that side of what I do," he said. "It's great for Universal, it's great for me. I'll make a lot of money which is good because then I don't have to work, and I can keep making more art." Schneider said he knew he was one of the lucky ones from a young age. Playing the guitar since the age of 3 and the piano since the age of 6, Schneider also attributes his musical influence to his opera-singing father. "His friends from the opera were always around," Schneider said about his father. Even so, Schneider said he did not decide to pursue music as a profession until he went to college. Before that, he was headed toward a career in fine art. "I really think in terms of making art instead of writing hits," he said. "Writing a song is more about the creative process. That lets the listener fill in the gaps for themselves and make it whatever they want to make it." Leaving the music's interpretation open to the public also leaves room for it to interpret the artist. But Schneider said despite any criticism he may receive, he knows his own self-worth is all that matters. "Here's my whole goal in life - just to be happy," he said. "To be able to look at myself in the mirror and go 'this guy's OK, a good person' and be at peace." So maybe Schneider does contradict himself. But even the most outlandish of his assertions about society are based mostly on opinion. "I'm making all of it up. It's just my opinion, and I have absolutely no idea about the truth of it," he said. "It's just stuff I've learned. I'm just trying to live life, to experience it. What you do while you're experiencing it is what matters." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Title:Lonelyland Review Author:Doug Newcomb Our View: *** 1/2 Singer/songwriter Bob Schneider has caused quite a stir down in his home base of Austin, Texas, where he consistently sells out gigs and outsells Limp Bizkit and Eminem at Waterloo, a popular local record store. Upon first listen to his solo debut, Lonelyland (Universal), you may wonder what all the fuss is about. But after several more spins of the disc and some careful listening, you start to appreciate what discerning music fans in the heart of the Lone Star State see in Schneider's songs as the music's subtle textures and the lyrics' veiled charm reveal themselves. While an unmistakable pop-music thread laces through Lonelyland, it's Schneider's off-kilter sensibility — as in the quirky funk of "Bullets" and the soft tropic sounds of "Moon Song" — that shapes each tune. Gruff Gomez-style vocals pop up in "Madeline," while "Jingy" sounds like a way-more bluesier Beck. "Madeline" starts out with a dirge-like bassline before going through mood swings that run from cabaret to psychedelia. "Round and Round" begins and ends much like a typical acoustic-based folk song, but it's peppered in between with operatic voices and world-music sounds. The straight-ahead classic pop of "Metal and Steel" and restless rock-like drive of "Tokyo" prove that Schneider's songs are just as solid in a less complicated setting — and that he doesn't need gimmicks to make them kick. Lonelyland is where it's at. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Title:Lonelyland Review Our View: Cool, baby, cool The Saxon Pub is the perfect place to take the bummer ride with Lonelyland. The place provides the right atmosphere with it's ultra darkness and tight, close stage and you would never guess it from it's location in a strip center. All in all, quite conducive to the beatnik feel that goes with Lonelyland. Lonelyland is made up of several talented members - Bob Schneider, lead vocals & guitar; Bruce Hughes, bass & wailing backup vocals; Mike Longoria, amazing drum man; and David Boyle, king of keys. Those names may be familiar to you as all but Longoria hail from Ugly Americans and The Scabs. Schneider, feeling his talent overflow, had the need to create yet another band in order to express his songwriting talent in a somewhat different style from the Uglies and Scabs. He has scored success with the Lonelyland project. The style of the music can be described as lounge mixed with alt-country twang done up as mellow depression rock. In other words, doesn't fit into any one genre. The songs are incredibly written and masterfully performed with several layers of sounds going at once. Each artist seems to just drift into their own music wonderland and lay out their intrepretation of the song at hand. It all adds up to one rich sound. The Monday night show at Saxon has been a regular gig for the band for some months now. Often they have guests join them like they did this night with Stephen Bruton. Bruton knows how to work a guitar and evoke sounds that are hard to achieve. It was obvious that he was well respected by the band as they followed his lead down various musical paths with their pick up on the fly style of playing. Lonelyland recently performed at Antone's and amazed the crowd with their talented songwriting skills and performance. They are sure to be part of the buzz of the SXSW fest with their songs that include lyrics that range from depression, "life is just a great big whatever anyways", to the touch of Scabs fun, "it's time to go...when your girlfriend's dick is bigger than your own." Be prepared to be taken on a journey from angst to anger to silliness and fun during your trip to Lonelyland. NOTE: Mike Longoria, the extremely talented drum guru from Lonelyland, will be playing at the Elephant Room on Sunday night during SXSW as the Mike Longoria Quartet. Longoria makes his own drums and uses all sorts of interesting items to create what has to be one of the best percussion sounds we've heard in a long while. This is one talented dude that can keep a great beat! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Title:Lonelyland/Superego Saxon Pub, April 3, 2000 Lonely is not a word that came to mind as I entered the Saxon Pub on Monday night for Bob Schneider and his Lonelyland show. Lonelyland played to a packed, standing room only, house on April 3rd (as they do every Monday night). This is Schneider's (ala Scabs, Ugly Americans) solo project and he is accompanied by accomplished musicians with Stephen Bruton on acoustic guitar, David Boyle on keyboards, Bruce Hughes on standup bass (the electric, skinny kind), and Mike Longoria on drums. The band was seated in an acoustic relaxed setting at this little pub in South Austin. Schneider's CD, Lonelyland, was released in February and has gotten some attention due to three of his song's being included on girlfriend Sandra Bullock's movie soundtrack for Gun Shy. With this exposure, Schneider became the first unsigned musical performer to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Not to mention the truckload of Austin Music Awards he took home last month… So, things are happening for Mr. Schneider, but he still shows up for his weekly gigs at Saxon Pub. He creates an easy atmosphere, going smoothly from warm up right into their first song, "2002." Schneider's songs move from sensitivity to debauchery, from heartbreak to who cares? with personal lyrics and obscure references. A common theme is being stuck in between, as in "Metal and Steel" ("left me here in the twilight zone") and "Big Blue Sea" ("Sometimes I feel like superman, sometimes I'm just recuperating"). While "Round & Round" has an obvious hook, he added texture by including Bullock's mother Helga, with a sampling of an operatic aria on the CD version. In this show, bass player Hughes added the high brow touches and it worked. Schneider is a charming host for the evening. He led the band through a recollection of their past five years at Saxon (a joke, I think it's been a little more than a year?) with each member rising to the challenge with some witty repartee. Bruton professed a blackout of the experience, Hughes mentioned the night he was married (to which Bob remarked "whatever happened to that guy?"), with Longoria citing the night he received his Ph.D (in filthy lucre). Boyle just ranted in an undecipherable manner about Guinness and Hughes' gay marriage (also a joke). Later Schneider played "Madeline" and "Loreena," his songs with women's names in the title. He is challenged by the audience to sing another. Melissa is thrown out and Schneider dishes up a freestyle "Goddamn Melissa, I Miss Her Melissa." He introduced his "mid 20s breakup song" saying that in the first two months all you can do is angry stuff (he actually screamed out Goddamn to illustrate). He also told a tale about opening for Dave Matthews a few years back and how he tried to piss people off with raunchy numbers like "Hanging Out with the Horny Girls." Schneider mixes styles in the acoustic format, from ballad to rocking. His expertise is with his rapid fire hip-hop delivery which I particularly appreciate in the acoustic setting. He played for two solid hours, was funny, cute, sexy (although a bit scruffy with the facial hair this night), and serious all at the same time. They finished up the set, as they do every Monday, by singing their "It's Time to Go" song, but in the fashion that the audience picked. Tonight it was Santana, which threw a bit of a snafu to Schneider, who eventually pulled off "Oh, it's time to go… right now" to "Evil Ways." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DATE: July 25, 1996 TITLE: Nasty Conquers All AUTHOR: Hobart Rowland Determination, and bad manners, rescue Ugly Americans from a sorry fate It's only been a year, but it might as well have been a lifetime ago. Flash back to 1995. Austin's Ugly Americans were living the rock star lifestyle they'd always felt they deserved, touring the country with Big Head Todd and the Monsters and the Dave Matthews Band, staying in fancy hotels and generally partying their funky shorts off. Already well-known at home for their blistering live shows and considerable way with a fat, white-boy groove, the Uglies had never really needed a reason to be cocky before; it just seemed to be a standard part of their makeup. Now, for once, they had a decent excuse: a major-label deal with Warner Bros. subsidiary Giant. Life, as the saying goes, was good. Then the roof caved in. What unfolded afterward is the sort of ripe, rise-above-adversity saga that threatens to be more intriguing than the actual band at its center -- though I doubt the Ugly Americans would see it that way. A group of seasoned Austin veterans, the Uglies is an inherently privileged sextet. They've never had a problem with self-confidence, which makes them a hard bunch to feel sorry for, especially given that things have tended to come easily for them. Case in point: in '94, less than a year after they formed, the Uglies slipped smoothly into the H.O.R.D.E. lineup for some select dates (and, ultimately, into a jam-band stigma they have yet to shake). They recorded a self-titled live CD that was released independently in early '95, and soon accolades came pouring in from all over. The group managed an appearance on MTV's Week in Rock, something Uglies frontman Bob Schneider chose not to participate in, preferring instead to watch a favorite Roseanne rerun. Even Entertainment Weekly found some space for the Uglies, praising them as one of the country's best unsigned bands. So when it came time late last summer to record their Giant debut, the Ugly Americans seemed on the speedy track to stardom. They headed to Los Angeles to work with big-name producer Don Gehman (R.E.M., Hootie and the Blowfish) and walked away a few weeks later with Stereophonic Spanish Fly. It was the rarest of first-effort souvenirs -- a CD that made everyone involved happy. "It was a very collaborative effort," says Ugly Americans bassist Sean McCarthy. "You always hear those quintessential stories about the whole negative producer thing; that didn't happen with us at all." But if the work in the studio was a dream, what was happening in the corporate offices of Giant promised a nightmare. The relatively young label had decided it was time to restructure and fine-tune its image, and the Uglies, it became clear, were not going to be part of the project. "It's just the way it goes, and I speak from having dealt with a lot of labels," says Ugly Americans manager Mark Bliesener, a man who also handles the affairs of Big Head Todd and the Monsters, a band that survived the overhaul of Giant. "All the labels are equally good or bad. If you're getting a lot of airplay, they're good; if you're not, they're bad." The Ugly Americans, though, never had the chance to prove themselves on the airwaves. Summer stretched to fall stretched to winter, and Stereophonic Spanish Fly's release was still on hold. Then in January '96, Giant cut the Uglies loose. They were left to fend for themselves with only a small supply of advance CDs, some of which had already made their way to radio stations in anticipation of Stereophonic's release. A few weeks later, Giant changed its name to Revolution. Some year. "It wasn't like one day we just woke up and didn't have a label. They were very subtle," recalls McCarthy. "They were kind of wussy about it -- saying they weren't sure whether they wanted us or not. What made it worse was knowing that we had come back from Los Angeles with this amazing record. We'd play it for our friends, and they'd be like, 'That's great, when does it come out?' And we'd be like, 'Well, uh, we're not sure now.' It was frustrating." It was a lot to stomach, but the Ugly Americans managed to stay sane by staying active. In the months after its falling out with Giant, the band performed almost nonstop, playing regularly in Austin, Houston and Boulder, Colorado -- all Uglies hubs -- and trying not to wear out its welcome. Then this spring, they finally found a new label, Nashville-based Capricorn, which has a national distribution deal with Mercury Records. Last week, Capricorn released the long-delayed Stereophonic Spanish Fly. Even though the CD has finally surfaced, it's hard for McCarthy not to sound a little exasperated. After all, the time that's been spent this year pulling in weekend crowds on Sixth Street and filling the Fabulous Satellite Lounge a few times a month could have been used to gain a foothold in other markets. "We do well in Houston for a city of, what, four million people," he quips cynically. "[But] we couldn't tour anywhere else because we didn't have a label. We were in limbo." McCarthy founded the Ugly Americans, an outfit conceived out of an admiration for the fierce grooves of funk demigod George Clinton and the sex-soaked rhythm and blues of James Brown, in 1993. The Uglies were a casual, soulful union of misfits and outcasts from other bands that, as it happened, were pretty well-known. Before starting the Uglies, McCarthy played with Mojo Nixon's Toadliquors. Uglies drummer Dave Robinson and organist Corey Mauser (who was replaced last year by Australian export David Boyle) came from Loose Diamonds, while guitarist/singer Bruce Hughes had been with Poi Dog Pondering and Cracker. Add to that mix the somewhat less impressive resumes of Schneider (Joe Rockhead) and lead guitarist Max Evans (the Thangs), and what you had wasn't exactly a superstar lineup, but at least one with affiliations snazzy enough to give the group a good head start. As much as they helped, though, those credentials also threatened to overshadow the group. The gigs came easily, but getting people to recognize the Ugly Americans as a true band, and not just a haphazard collection of "formerly withs," was more difficult. Three years down the line, the Uglies still see stories that play up their heritage more prominently than their current exploits. "It's good and bad," McCarthy says. "As an introduction, it's good for everyone to know our backgrounds. But then it should be like, 'Get on with it.' It is valid; it gets your attention, so it's a good start. And if we mislead someone, I'll guarantee their money back." From the looks of things now, the Ugly Americans needn't worry about misleading anyone. Live, the group's soul-drenched bravado can rock a sturdy venue right off its foundations. Led by Schneider's strong lungs and free-spirited machismo, the band operates smoothly to a single throbbing pulse even as its members retain their individuality. There's the hammy lady's man, the weight-lifting jock, the hippie-looking freak with a nasty streak, a few artsy, quiet types: the Uglies are an unlikely bunch who find their connection in music. The Ugly Americans |