Lifetime of Listening #31: 2002 - Hot Snakes "Suicide Invoice" - 52 Albums/Years/Weeks

[@Deuter666]

Very cool ! I’ll check out Hot Snakes. ..and I used to make Merch for Shellacs drummer Todd ( I got to see his OCD room in ‘93) and I did work for Arcwelder too . Good stuff

[@discellany]

Cheers Dave! I didn't mention this in the video, but another cool element of Hot Snakes overall appeal was Rick Froberg's sleeve artwork/design, alongside his musical/lyrical contribution. It contributed to the whole aesthetic for Swami in much the same way as the AmRep stuff did for the music it put out. Big fan of Arcwelder! The ATP show in '02 was my only chance to see them live, and they didn't disappoint. Thanks, D

[@reggiefils-aime5627]

Hot snakes are one of the best bands ever! Audit in progress is maybe my personal fav, but all 3 of the og lps are spectacular

[@OperationPhantom]

In 2002, 16 Horsepower released what was to be their final album. Paul Westerberg was seemingly newly inspired by getting back to basics in Mono and Stereo. Also James Hall was back with a band named after his 1996 album Pleasure Club, though I found that out later... glad I did! Hot Snakes were never on my radar but they are now!

[@craighudson6684]

I want to say Interpol's debut Turn on the bright lights is my album of 2002, but I can't. I didn't discover Interpol until the follow up, Antics. And like last week, it was thanks to a Q mag CD. Nothing else that I bought and listened to in 2002 has lasted the course.

[@discellany]

Weird time for music media/journalism. NME and the like were mortally wounded, so it felt like Q and the other monthlies were the only readily available print outlet for new music news/reviews. (Don't think Select survived much beyond the turn of the millennium either.) Pitchfork were the big online platform of the day, and despite my roasting them a bit in this video, they did help break acts like Interpol and Arcade Fire to a wider audience. Peel was getting pushed around the schedules like an afterthought, and 6 Music had only just launched. Between Jools Holland and "landfill indie", the '00s wasn't the easiest time to uncover "new stuff". Cheers, D

[@benstudd]

First year in the series where ive never heard of the band so I must be in for a treat. Mine for this year would be ballboy's 'a guide to the daylight hours.' Quite simply constructed songs and the influences are obvious, but a Peel favourite for good reason - a tremendously authentic emotional drive to every song, plenty of longing and melancholy and a decent scattering of dark humour.

[@andrew6889-p5c]

My picks would be You Forgot it In People. I saw them in a small pub in Boston shortly after this came out. Absolutely amazing show. Brilliant album. Murray Street (I think I mistakenly picked this for 2001). Music easy. History hard. Murray Street was really good.

[@ChristopherANeal]

I've seen Mission Of Burma twice; the first time opening for Pixies, the second in a tiny art gallery where I got to meet them afterwards. Nice guys in addition to amazing musicians. And, in typical fashion, my 2002 was almost completely the opposite, musically, as yours; it was the year that cemented my love for Alt Country. With Nickel Creek’s This Side, Barricades And Brickwalls by Kasey Chambers, and especially Steve Earle’s Jerusalem, this was when I discovered that beautiful simplicity in song writing wasn’t limited to Punk and the genres it inspired (though Nickel Creek does a really cool take on “Spit On A Stranger). To this day, when I do my acoustic solo work I refer to it as “K-Mart Steve Earle” because his discography has had such an impact on how I create songs, and it all started here. And, of course I will check out this record for sure. See you next week!

[@Joe.Copalman]

Team Loewenstein all the way! And I only learned about Do Make Say think a few years back via a KZbin recommendation. 'End of Music' is easily my fave. Have you ever given Tanner (Gar Wood's pre-Hot Snakes band) a listen? They used to tour with DLJ all the time back in the day and are still a favorite of mine.

[@discellany]

Yeah, J-Loew's 'Doh contributions got better and better I think...this solo LP more than holds its own vs Sebadoh's later releases. Heard of Tanner, but never heard anything by them. Cheers for the recommendation...will try and follow up on it! D

[@grahamwales3249]

Of course it’s Suicide Invoice! Same for me. Was it me that mentioned auto? Sounds like me banging on about John / Ricks stuff. Your perspective on the record was class - pulp / grindhouse vibes. Right up my alley. Johns new Swami album is out today as well btw. Well worth a listen. Also ran: Converges incredible ‘Jane Doe’ is a close second.

[@discellany]

Yeah, think it was you! Suicide Invoice was one of a handful of nailed-on albums in this series...once I'd confirmed it was released in '02, then it was always going to be the '02 choice. Just a perfect 30-ish minute punk rock record. Factor in that signature Reis guitar precision/interplay, and Froberg's lyrics/vocals/delivery, and it's immediately elevated way above that. Love all their records, but this was the one that knocked me out after one listen. Cheers, D

[@gloomforged]

It feels like cheating a bit, but my album for the year would be the sampler for ATP 2.0. This introduced me to a bunch of things I missed in the preceding years (Shipping News, Nina Nastasia, Arcwelder, DMST) and also reminded me how much I love The Fall. Gave a copy to my now wife when we started dating and got her hooked as well. Immensely envious of those who were able to attend. I eventually found my way to Interpol 's magnificent album, but it wasn't this year. I'll have to check out the Lowenstein record. Not Too Amused is my favorite track off Bakesale and somehow I've never explored further.

[@discellany]

Won't go on about it much more than I already have, but ATP '02 was epic. Kind of wished I could have done both weekends (there were a few bands playing on one or the other, and not both), but getting the time off was impossible. All attendees got a 3CD sampler with a track from every band playing, plus some linking spoken/comedy stuff from Fred Armisen. Still have mine! The J-Loew LP has plenty of stuff in the vein of Not Too Amused, so you'll probably dig it. Cheers, D

[@mikegutterman3427]

My goodness that All Tomorrow's Parties line up was insane!

[@discellany]

Yep. Don't think I'll ever see a festival bill like that one for the rest of my life! Very relaxed too...most of the bands/artists were staying in on-site accommodation (a seaside holiday camp with basic little apartments), and just milling around and enjoying the sets with all the paying guests. Said "Hi" to Jeff Mueller (again), Charlie had a few words with Kim Deal, and I got to ask Bob Weston about how he was doing the live tape loops for Burma. It was nuts. Cheers, D

[@mikegutterman3427]

@@discellany I took my 21 year old son to a post rock festival last weekend. Never been a festival kind of guy but man did we have a great time and I got to see some great bands. Truly will never forget that weekend with my son hearing some great live music.

[@michaelhoskins6579]

2002 was a bit of a meh year for me. I wasn't listening to much contemporary stuff at that point. One album i do remember enjoying that year was Neon Golden by The Notwist. I remember that whole early 2000s "indie-tronica" thing that bands like Hood were doing at that time was quite appealing to me but it got old pretty quickly.

[@discellany]

Always had time for Hood, having followed them through the earlier part of the '90s...but I totally get your drift. In that respect, they did check out at just the right time, and on something of a high. Cheers, D

[@matthewpollard2843]

I used to play the Bull and Gate and the Dublin Castle back in the late 90s. Incredible.

[@discellany]

Definitely played the Dublin Castle twice...once with Sennen. I think Fuzz from Silverfish was the in-house sound guy at the time. Bull and Gate? Once, or twice,, maybe. Upstairs at The Garage, once I think? The Spitz, 93 Feet East, The Windmill...again, once each. A few others...a weird Swiss-themed restaurant/basement club...forget the name! Fun times! Cheers, D

[@matthewpollard2843]

@@discellany I also played upstairs at the garage. we played with Fridge at the Bull and Gate, and at The Garage, we played with Athletico Spizz, and at The Dublin Castle we had to replace Coldplay (!!!) as headliner at the last minute as they pulled out to go re-record stuff for their first album. Crazy times.

[@discellany]

Don't recall many of the bill specifics. The Spitz was with Penthouse, definitely. The Garage, not 100%...Joeyfat maybe? Wish I'd kept a proper diary at the time! D

[@brunoduarte6437]

2002 is the year of Sonic Youth's latest masterpiece (with the precious help of Jim O' Rourke, your chosen artist of 2001) also count a lot TQOTSE - Songs for the Deaf and Steroid Maximus - Ectopia by Clint Ruin/Foetus,

[@timjk]

Very Pixies dervivative but Beachbuggy with Sport Fury as I was just searchinig for more Pixies like music, I think the Australian album debut the Vines Highly Evolved still holds as a favourite at the time

[@alanwilson1724]

Hi Darren! Can't argue with Hot Snakes. I'm struggling to think of another 2002 album I liked as much at the time (covid isn't helping!). I thought possibly Reinventing Axl Rose by Against Me! I bought the album and a bunch of singles after they played an incredible show in a tiny venue in Kirkcaldy but it turns out that gig was in 2003. Ah well!

[@discellany]

Cheers Alan! Yeah, this year was always going to be Suicide Invoice...nothing else came close in '02. Get well soon! Had it a few months back and got over it fairly quickly, but my wife wasn't right for a good month or so. D

[@alanwilson1724]

@@discellany thanks!

[@markroff1012]

As a erstwhile lover of Rocket... and Drive Like J I have until now been strangely bereft of ...Snakes in my life. I shall rectify this immediately. For me it was, to a lesser degree, '()'. However I listened to the cool, somewhat less angular US take on Joy Divison that is 'Turn On The Bright Lights' endlessly. Still a fan of the first 3 flawless albums to this day. Good call for DMST tho! Re-listening ahoy 😅

[@discellany]

Don't delay! Hot Snakes are the perfect bridge between DLJ and RFTC...tight, technical...pulpy, punky. Suicide Invoice is a great starting point, but you can't go wrong. I think it was the *cough" "obvious" Joy Div thing I couldn't quite get past with Interpol that stopped me from enjoying them. An entirely personal failing, they're probably due a respin at this end. DMST (this album in particular) sit in that perfect Bermuda Triangle pegged out by Hood, Tortoise and Bark Psychosis. I played this a lot back then, and since doing this video, I've had "& Yet & Yet" on repeat. It's been far too long, and it really is extremely good. Cheers, D