[WIZARD ROCK] Local freak-pop trio Wizard Boots hasn’t quite finished it’s new album “Ole’ Biscuit Barrel!”–but that’s not stopping it from holding a “CD release extravaganza,” ready or not. I’d expect nothing less from a band that sounds something like if Mark E. Smith joined joined the Elephant 6 Collective and added a rubber chicken. What I’ve heard from the album runs from moments of Brian Jonestown Massacre-esque madness on cuts like “Fuckabouthat” to punk blues breakdowns on “Contra Costa County” with plenty of psychedelic trumpet solos in between. To make up for the possible lack of an actual CD to release, the band will be joined by a few former Wizards, so some freaky fun is guaranteed either way. –RUTH BROWN (Willamette Week)
“If Lux Interior and Syd Barrett had a love child on a Wednesday in a back alley in Brooklyn while eating a banana and coffee grounds on rye….” –Dor DeHart
“Wizard Boots is a musical genius who’s fallen from an ancient cloud that hovered over a magical land…” –Pinkprancer.com
“Think Hank Williams channeling Mike Patton.” –Cosmic Charlie, OurPDX.com
“Love it. Best website ever!” –Marianly Mendez, Fox News
“They’re from Portland, so they must be proven (heh!). Twangy tall tales sung in a faux (maybe) British accent….it’s Billy Childish…or Jilted John!” –Tucson Weekly
“Wizard Boots possess that Ween-like or Flaming Lips-like quality of mimicking various genres within their own psychedelic formulation—the majority of which comes out sounding almost like David Bowie covering Tenacious D (”Who Snatched the Baby Jesus?”). For good measure, there’s some Butthole Surfers-style lunacy buried in there, demonstrated on songs like “Yogurt.” In their stronger moments, they sound like what Black Lips might sound like when they grow up. Wizard Boot’s slowed-down, Southern-flavored, acoustic-based jams like “Ten Years (3,650 Days)” and “Retarded Love” sound like they’re from an unearthed time machine in Atlanta, especially while reciting lyrics like, “Let’s go behind this dumpster so we can make out.” If you like your music weird (and especially if you have a mega-crush on Mike Patton), this band is a band you’ll love.” — KURT PRUTSMAN (Portland Murcury)
And…
An Interview with Motor Jeffries of OurPDX.com:
OurPDX darling, Wizard Boots, phones home from his band road trip — just like ET in that incredibly sentimental scene from the 1982 Steven Spielberg classic. My only complaint is that the bastard has gotten The Warrior stuck in my head. In the words of Patty Smyth:
Who’s the hunter – Who’s the game?
I feel the beat – Call your name
I hold you close – In victory
I don’t wanna tame your animal style
You won’t be caged – In the call of the wild
Shooting at the walls of heartache, bang, bang,
I am the warrior – Well I am the warrior
And heart to heart you’ll win
If you survive – The warrior
———-
Who has the worst smelling socks in the van?
Hmmmm . . . we don’t smell each other’s socks. What kind of interview is this?
What is your favorite road trip fast food?
Avoid it mostly, but since we’ll be down in Texas . . . we’ll rustle up some Whataburger and Taco Cabana.
Do you have a farting policy? How are infractions dealt with?
Well of course in the Wizard’s van the “He who smelt it . . . dealt it” rule comes into play. All serious infractions will end with Gerald being pushed out at incredibly high speeds.
Describe the most stressful moment so far.
Ahhhh . . . Denver was a bit of a mess . . . I was about to fall over and then Gerald’s drums got haunted by Keith Moon and were flying apart all over the stage. But that’s rock n’ roll . . . sometimes you fall on your face. We were definitely firing on all cylinders again by the time we got to Tulsa.
Can you still drive through Louisiana with open containers?
We’re not going there on this trip and I haven’t been there for years, so . . . I’ll tell you later.
Any problems with your musical equipment?
Just Gerald’s drums flying apart, but that’s mostly just funny . . . and I noticed last night that my Boss sampler is dropping little hints that it may be close to a nasty digital death.
Why would you ever willingly go to Arkansas?
I honestly don’t know why Arkansas gets so much shit . . . I’m from there and Arkansas rules! That’s why I’m swinging through the NWA (Northwest Arkansas) . . . so I can see my family . . . have some good ol’ home cooking . . . and of course play for my wonderful friends . . . last night in Tulsa was the best yet and I know tonight’s going to be even better. All of that being said . . . when I get back to Portland . . . I’m going to hit you on the head with a tack hammer.
Did you learn anything at the porn store that makes it easier to be a touring musician?
Yes I did. How to trade oxycodone pills to truckers at truckstops for their glorious trucker speed. Actually I might have learned that at truck stops . . . but I sharpened my skills of negotiating with unsavory characters at the porn store.
Why is it that Portland musicians make 23 cents an hour at home, but easily make almost twice that amount when they play outside of town?
Over-saturation perhaps . . . when you take your Northwestern vibe out to play for people 2000 miles away, you becomes an exotic import.
What is the song that is most likely to cause a fist fight if it comes on the radio in the van?
Gerald and I have a mutual appreciation of great music, and we both love the song The Warrior by Scandal, so I don’t think anything could come on that would be too ridiculous. Actually we’ve heard some great tunes on this trip . . . he turned me on to some Mingus.
Any final comments for fans, friends, and voyeurs at OurPDX?
Yes . . . where’s the party when we get home? I MISS AND LOVE YOU ALL!!! WHEN I GET BACK, LET’S GET LOADED AND GET NAKED!!!!!
Wizard Boots Interview
Presented By:
Music and Band Ezine’s Publisher, Paul Heingarten
Christopher Elsken, the ringleader and chief songwriter of Wizard Boots, takes on the Music and Band Ezine Interview this week. Hailing from Texas, Wizard Boots are about to release their second independent album, “Ole’ Biscuit Barrel”.
Q: How did you come up with the name of your band?
A: I began recording and performing as Wizard Boots five years agoin Texas….it was sort of a calling, and I can’t reveal the origin of the name.
Q: What genre (if any) would you classify your music in?
A: Freakpop…improper music….rock n’ roll. We’re kind of a mutation of many things.
Q: Do you play only originals, or do you do covers? In your average gig, what’s the ratio of original songs to covers?
A: We’re doing 90% original material now that we’ve got two albums to draw from, but we throw in a few covers. Mostly stuff no one knows…Dead Milkmen, Butthole Surfers, Ween.
Q: Who are your musical influences?
A: Jon Wayne (the band not the dead actor), The Butthole Surfers, Ween, David Bowie, Alice Donut, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Cure, The Frogs, Royal Trux, The Cramps, Hawkwind, The Fall, Bongwater, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Blue Oyster Cult, The Plasmatics, Can, Public Image Limited, The Tubes, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and the supergroup Asia.
Q: What are your songs about?
A: Life…love…loss…laughter…drinking…hallucinations….dreams….sex….cereal.
Q: What are your band’s goals?
A: To stay alive and keep doing this. Organize some more short runs up and down the west coast…hopefully another big tour across the country. Do some more videos. First thing though is to finish this damn record.
Q: What are your most and least favorite venues to play, and why?
A: Least favorites are the ones we don’t play at anymore. Favorites are The Knife Shop and The Someday Lounge in Portland…The Soundpony in Tulsa OK, The Red Room in Tucson AZ, Kimo’s in San Francisco, Club Dada in Dallas TX and anywhere down on Garrison Ave. in Fort Smith Arkansas. Some venues have the best equipment and sound guys…some have the coolest and most enthusiastic crowds. And some have both!
Q: Which songs do you perform most frequently?
A: Currently we’re doing a lot of stuff from our new record, “Ole’ Biscuit Barrel!” and we keep a bunch of those crowd pleasers from the first album in circulation. Our cover of the Butthole Surfer’s “Gary Floyd” has been in pretty regular rotation lately…and Parry Gripp’s whiskey drinking anthem, “Leprechaun’s Holiday” is another one you can never go wrong with.
Q: On a gig, do you play from a set list or do you just pick songs
on the spot?
A: We usually have a set list, but sometimes we throw in a few curveballs….no two Wizard Boots shows are exactly the same, even if we play the same songs.
Q: Who in the band writes your songs?
A: That would be me. I’ve written everything up until now, but as our schedule cools off in the fall, Tony and Andi are going to try to do some writing and arranging with me. This new record really captures the sound and the vibe of the current band, but for the next one I think we’re going to get much heavier sonically and conceptually.
Q: How has your music evolved since you started playing together?
A: It started with just me recording everything by myself and now this is the third completely different band playing live with me, so obviously it has evolved dramatically. This current band is the most sonically versatile one for sure. Having an open minded approach to the live arrangements is key….you never know how loud or rowdy or nasty or boring an audience will be, so we always try to play to the room and make each performance unique.
Q: Last thoughts?
A: All the single ladies….put your hands up. I know it’s hard to believe, but I am available! Seriously though….thanks for doing this. There are so few people doing something out of sheer love for music and you are obviously one of them. Viva le RAWK!!!
And finally…
Wizard Boots and Dieselboi interviewed on Strange Love Live: