Feature: Travis Keller Interview

I recently got the chance to have a quick chat with Buddyhead creator and shit talker extraordinaire Travis Keller. If you don't know Travis- the dude was hyping incredible music long before any website was even close to becoming a reputable location for music news, and is the reason that I was, by far, the youngest person in the room at an early Hot Snakes show. If any current music website were half as brutally honest, and uh, half as lazy- the music industry would be a much better place. Anyway, I decided to track him down to find out his thoughts on Pitchfork, The Icarus Line, and a whole mess of other topics for him to soap box upon. Click below for the full interview.

First off, the obvious question is: what are you doing now outside of updating the Buddyhead blog occasionally and running the label?

As little as possible, that's what makes me happy. I like to watch movies made by Sam Peckinpah. The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, The Getaway and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia are some of my favorites of his. I really like Netflix too. I love finding shit on there and watching rad movies I'd normally never go see. I also like to take photos and I'm currently putting together several photography books.

How do you feel about the direction music based internet sites have headed in since the origination of Buddyhead... specifically Pitchfork, the "blogosphere" [Stereogum, Brooklynvegan] ect.?

I don't really have an opinion; none of those sites really interest me. I check out websites of the few current bands I like occasionally, but I don't read other blogs or music related websites. They're all pretty boring and say the same shit. I'd rather read a Mojo article about John Lennon or Bob Dylan than hear some dork that has a college degree write nine paragraphs on why The Flaming Lips or Wilco are amazing.


Do you feel anybody is carrying the torch from Buddyhead as far as honesty, bluntness, or tastemaking goes?

No. Not at all.

What are some of your goals for the future of Buddyhead?

Make money and/or marry up. I'm really into the idea of marrying up.

Is there any bad blood between Buddyhead and the remaining members of The Icarus Line?

You know man; sometimes you just gotta take the trash out. It totally fucking sucks doing it, but if you don't... your whole house ends up smelling like shit. And no one wants to live in a house that reeks of turds now do they?

What are some bands that you think are currently doing something important or meaningful, or I guess, what are some bands that are "getting it right"?

Off the top of my head...

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's new record Baby 81 is killer, that's my favorite new thing I've heard. They're some of the best songwriters around. Autolux, they're a great Los Angeles band, they've opened for everyone under the sun. They get all the breaks man. I think the record they're recording right now is going to be really fucking amazing. It should come out later this year. In the meantime buy their debut, Future Perfect. It's almost as good as they as live. Pearl Jam - I know it's not cool to say you like Pearl Jam, but I do. They're great songwriters and Eddie Veder is a great front man. They jam it out a little too much live for my tastes.. and their guitar player, Mike McCready, is quite possibly one of the hardest things to watch in a band... ever. Dude sucks. The Black Crowes are great, I saw them live four out of the five nights when they played the Henry Fonda here in Los Angeles last year. The Brakes are a funny little band I like. Their first record is cool. Depeche Mode's last record was great, live was a bit tough to sit though but I like their records. Frank Black was cool when I saw him live this year. Graham Coxon's new solo record is killer. Pretty much anything Jack White does is cool. I really like that Raconteurs record, he did good with that. I love everything Spiritualized has done. I liked Jim Reid's solo shit he just put out (I think a full length is coming out this year), The Jesus & Mary Chain are gonna make a new record too I hear after these reunion shows... hopefully that doesn't suck, Neil Diamond is rad and his last record was really good, Queens Of The Stone Age are cool... but they'd be way cooler if the crazy bald bass player guy got to come back. He was scary. I love Oasis, they're probably my favorite current band. I saw Noel perform solo this year, with Gem, and it was unbelievable. Oasis wins. Bob Dylan's new record was okay but I'd rather have all the hairs on my balls plucked instead of having to see him play live again (dude's trippin'). Tom Petty is killer live still and his last record was good, Two Lone Swordsmen make good records. The Duke Spirit are a great band. I'm excited to hear the record they make with Chris Goss this year. The Cassettes are awesome. They're on my label and I'm really proud of them. Shat are pretty amazing too. You might wanna check them out. Beehive and the Barracudas are cool, if they're still a band. The singer does jump kicks. Fiona Apple is great. I think that Amy Winehouse girl is pretty good. Grinderman is killer. Cat Power made a good record, The Greatest.

What are some records you are anticipating for this year?

Oasis, Radiohead, Coldplay, Jesus & Mary Chain, Dr. Dre. I dunno man... what's coming out this year?

What are your thoughts on the iPod, internet downloading, the "downfall" of the music industry, ect.?

The iPod is great. Internet downloading is killer, I can get any record I want at anytime now. It's a really tough time to run a small label right now, but I still think it's an exciting time in music. Shit sucks and it's changing fast. Shit's hitting the fan hard and all we can do is sit back and watch... times they are a changin'. I dig it.

What record do you think offers the definitive description of Los Angeles life?

Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

And also...

Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever (This record is one of the main reasons I moved to Los Angeles, it looked cool in the videos)
Elliott Smith - Figure 8
Jane's Addiction - Nothing Shocking and the first live record. Both before Navarro turned into the jivest man alive and ran around town with his shirt off doing reality tv. DORK.
X - Los Angeles
Gun Club - Fire Of Love
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Nirvana - In Utero
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81

And lastly, what are your thoughts on the direction that music based websites should be heading?

Like Lars' dad says in the Metallica movie Some Kind Of Monster, "DELETE."