New York City, New York, USA - July 20, 2000
New York Post
at Bowery Ballroom
By Mary Huhn
July 18, 2000
Portland, Ore's. trippy Dandy Warhols focus their kaleidoscope on their third album, "Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia," at the Bowery Ballroom (6 Delancey St. at the Bowery, [212]533-2111) on Thursday and Maxwell's (1039 Washington St., Hoboken, N.J., [201]798-0406) on Saturday.
While the Warhols are inherently influenced by the Velvet Underground (with the name and all), the latest album hopscotches through many musical styles, skipping through The Beatles, picking up some '60s garage and psycedelic pop, then tossing in a little country twang, varying the sound from song to song.
The band steals as many pop references as it can, in the same way Andy Warhol copied Campbell's soup cans and Brillo boxes, guitarist Peter Homstrom explains.
"In order to make a song work, we try different vocal and playing styles," he says. "You can't avoid it, so you might as well embrace it."
Articles about Dandy Warhols have a hard time categorizing their alt-rock sound, mentioning a slew of artists such as Beck, the Cars and T. Rex.
But one refernce just "p---es off" Holmstrom - when Black Book compared the Warhols' work to the Monkees' fast songs.
"The monkees had some good songs, but they were considered a joke band. For a while, we weren't taking seriously," he says, partially because, "there's a whole lot of talk about sex and drugs, plus we have a good time. We're not depressed and [don't] mope around all day - although we do that too."
A good time includes playing naked. Lead singer Courtney Taylor and bass player Zia McCabe have stripped, but the scantiest outfit Holmstrom has worn was bikini briefs and a negligee.
Their act was shaped by their early appearances in Portland's performance-art spaces.
"There was so much experimentation," says Holmstrom. "It allowed us to do whatever the hell we wanted to do and gave us the confidence to do that. We did songs at half-speed or while lying down on a pillow."