Blame It On The Brits

Canoe.ca
by Ian Nathanson
October 5, 2000

You have to understand Courtney Taylor-Taylor's love-hate relationship at the moment with the United Kingdom.

On the one hand, the thought-provoking frontman for The Dandy Warhols would be happy to name drop early 1970s British rockers and their profound influence on the Portland, Ore., neo-psychedelic rockers' third effort, Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia.

"Man, we jump from this droning bounce on Nietzche to a sort of down-to-earth feel on Country Leaver, a little like Humble Pie," an excited, if mellow, Taylor-Taylor says on the phone from Atlanta.

Critical acclaim

"And for Bohemian Like You, we use these spaghetti western-like harmonies -- very T. Rex -- that's the coolest sound I've ever heard, a sort of (sings) "HOOOOOOOO-HA-HOOOOOO" falsetto, like a mouth siren. Just unbelievable."

On the other hand, when asked if Brits are garnering Thirteen Tales with similar critical and record-sales appeal as their first two outings (1995's Dandys Rule Okay and '97's The Dandy Warhols Come Down), Taylor-Taylor's elation gives way to frustration.

"The critics over there are fawning over these boy bands and all that crap," he says dejectedly. "And the media's just as pathetic.

"Granted, we're not selling 8 million albums, but it makes me sick that a country that produced Blur can get sucked into what's out there now."

Listening to Taylor-Taylor, whose group hits town Tuesday night at Zaphod Beeblebrox 2, it's readily apparent he is passionate about making quality records, those you can listen to years down the road and they'll still sound fresh.

Formed in 1995, The Dandy Warhols represented everything that grunge wasn't -- classic rockers, love songs, country stomps, celebratory pop and Middle Eastern rhythms, featuring layered guitars, wall-of-sound synthesizers, gorgeous vocal harmonies and clever, insightful lyrics.

Psychedelic

Not only did they have cool, hook-laden numbers such as the anti-heroin ode Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth, the band has impeccable taste in psychedelic clothing and act like bona-fide rock stars, too.

Taylor-Taylor admits he can be a bit of a "control freak" in the studio. There have also been urban tales of keyboardist/bassist Zia McCabe's penchant for public nudity, us-vs.-them quarrels with other Portland bands and dabbling with illicit substances.

And they have bragging rights. Among one of their biggest fans is none other than David Bowie, who caught the Warhols' Glastonbury Festival gig last summer.

"He brought his band down with him and just stood at the side of the stage," Taylor-Taylor says, elation back in his voice. "Afterwards, he came up to us and said, 'I've been meaning to tell you this, but I love your record.' "

Now Taylor-Taylor can go seek comfort in a soon-to-be classic record or two.

"Records are a great fix," he says. "Nothing like spending $14 for cheap therapy. Have you heard that new Kid Rock album? Now that kicks ass."