Issue 21---September '99

News

The Lassie Foundation is still shooting for an October release of the "El Rey" single through LA's Anisette Records.  The CD will include a new version of "Stealin'...," "Crown of the Sea," and a new song called "Shogun/Promise Ring."   Also, a new song called "Look All Ways" will be released on a compilation put out by Fast Sofa Records (the compilation will also feature bands Teen Heroes, The Killingtons, and The Pressure--all bands that the Lassie Foundation have played with).  It will also be available in October.

New pictures have been added to the Live Gallery on the website at http://www.rollanet.org/~johnston the pictures were taken at the Exit/In show in Nashville by Jose Crespo.  Be sure to check them out!

There have also been real audio sound clips of the songs "El Rey" and "Dive Bomber" added, they are linked on the index page of the website.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this is the 2 year anniversary issue of the Laid With Cool, even though it's only the 21st issue (I took 3 months off).  The first issue went out September 18, 1997, to about 50 people, it now goes out to over 400...

 -Alyssa Johnston
 

The Lassie Foundation's Self Interview
 by... the Lassie Foundation

What do you think is the future of the falsetto vocal in the Foundation?

Jeff:  I think the falsetto vocal will always have a position in the Foundation.
Campuzano:  I love the falsetto and I believe the it will always have a prominent place in the Foundation whether it is harmony or a lead vocal.  Brian Wilson did it-why not The Foundation.
Wayne: At the moment I'm a little bit tired of hearing it as the main vocal...I think I'll always use   it, but right now I'm trying to use less of it in the new songs.  I love falsetto, and I think that it  as its place on any great album.
Frank: It will not be as prevalent.

Regardless of the other members bands opinions-what do you see as the direction of the band musically?  What you would like to accomplish or hear, etc...?

Jeff:  I would like to see the band stray away from normal song structures (verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-chorus-etc...) and become more adventurous (ala Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, the Beach Boys).
Campuzano:  I would like to see the band become recording giants and push the whole eight track principle to a new sonic level.  Get away from the standard rock format of stereo guitars, bass, drums, vocals, bgv's.  Take some chances recording, orchestrate the recording process a bit more.  And of course, write better songs.
Wayne:  A band is always going to mutate and move in different directions to varying degrees, and I think we are moving towards more hook-centered songs as opposed to a focus on the "sonic landscape".  At the same time,
I'd like to see us recording those songs in an experimental way.  The musical mainstream is so safe and predictable, but sometimes there are some great hooks.  I hope we can take great hooks and put them into songs that sound challenging to the ear.

If there is a future for rock n roll, does the Foundation play a roll in it, if so how?

Jeff:  I think the Foundation can save rock n roll by writing great songs and putting on a good live show.
Campuzano:  Because we carry the torch for the truth and the rock n roll.
Wayne:  Like any good band that's around now, we've got the rock and roll for you.
Frank:  Rock and roll will always have a future. Right now however, rock is nothing but ass, played by assholes, controlled by assholes.  The Foundation will need to find some sort of back door if it is going to be accepted by main stream rock.

What is your favorite song of off California?

Jeff: Stealin'.
Campuzano: I can be her man."
Wayne: I Can Be Her Man
Frank: i can be her man
 

 Favorite song of off Pacifico?

Jeff:  The whole album!!!
Campuzano: El Rey.
Wayne:  El Rey
Frank: You are Infinity
 

What is the biggest influence-right now-with the Foundation?

Jeff:  Personally:  33.3, Marine Research - Sounds From the Gulf Stream, Sam Prekop, the Spells, Cadallaca - Introducing..., Sleater-Kinney - the Hot Rock.
Campuzano: I don't listen to anything but Jazz.
Wayne:  A friend of mine used a term that I haven't heard before, but I think it's an accurate one--"pop opera"--bands like Mercury Rev and Flaming
Lips are doing this kind of thing.  Maybe this answer should be for question #2.
Frank: For me it is Driving

Will there ever be a new record?

Jeff:  I sure hope so.
Campuzano: Yes.
Wayne:  Definitely.  We've got about five or six incompleted ideas that are floating around, waiting to get put together.  I'm hoping that we can record more songs for the next album, because I think it'll be quite eclectic.  Clean songs, dirty songs, bare-boned songs, orchestrated songs--I hope it goes that far.
Frank:  Yes, we have to decide when we will do it, it takes the Foundation two months to make any one decision.
 
 

If we were to start a new record today, would the musical sound continue to develop towards a more clean sound and move even farther away from the real noisy California EP and the less noisy Pacifico?

Jeff:  I would like to go even noisier than anything previous while also going even cleaner and softer than anything we have done so far.
Campuzano:  I personally believe that the songs will become even cleaner than what was on Pacifico and more noisy than that of California.
Wayne:  In some ways, yes, but I think that you can take someone out of rock, but you can't take the rock out of someone.  No matter what we purposefully try to do, I think there'll be a certain element to it that remains Lassie-esque.
Frank: Not a more clean sound but a more clear sound, not so much reverb.
 
 

As far as vocals are concerned are there any expectations as what you would like to happen on a new record?

Jeff:  I have no expectations other than making a better album than "Pacifico."
Campuzano:  My expectations are to write great songs, with some really great people and have great fun.
Wayne:  It's hard to tell what is exactly going to happen with the vocals, because often the background parts are figured out at the last minute, along with the decisions concerning how to approach the vocal sound.  I'm always listening to different things to get some perspective on vocals.  I'm still a novice at this, you know.
Frank: More 2 part harmonies.

Will the California EP ever be re released?

Jeff:  The way things are moving now, it doesn't look like it will be re-released anytime in the near future.
Campuzano: I would hope so.
Wayne:  I'm sure it will happen soon.  Then I'm going to Vegas.
Frank: I don't care

How was it opening with Walking Spinning Backing Free, off of  the California ep, for roughly about 15 minutes, then calling it a night?

Jeff:  I think it was a triumph for the Lassie Foundation.  I feel we showed people what is basically the essence of rock n roll -- spontaneity.
Campuzano: It was sort of like making love for the first time.  You waited your whole life to do it and well... it was over in about 15 minutes.
Wayne:  It was a great feeling.  Even though the situation with that show was not enjoyable, we were able to turn that energy into something exciting.
Frank: Liberating.

We have played with a lot of bands over the last few months, any recommendations to anyone?

Jeff:  The Pressure, the Killingtons, Siren Six!, Pedro the Lion.
Campuzano: The Pressure, Siren Six, Pedro the Lion, Retriever and At the Drive In.
Wayne:  People should see Retriever and Siren 6 for sure.
Frank: Marine Research

Will we  ever tour?

Jeff:  ????????????
Campuzano: Well.......
Wayne:  We keep getting closer and closer to it, although if touring is landing on the moon then we're at about Apollo 1.  What that means exactly, I'm not sure.
Frank: We must.
 
 

Lassie @ The Glasshouse - Pomona, CA

The club was packed for a local pop night in Southern California.  The bill featured several well known area bands like Phantom Planet, Siren Six, Teen Heros, and The Lassie Foundation.  The Glasshouse is split into two rooms
and bands would alternate between the stages so there was no down time, just non stop music.

I checked out about six of the bands.  I was interested in seeing Phantom Planet because I had heard a lot of hype on them.  They are not a bad band.  Upbeat catchy pop, but they didn't blow me away.  Siren Six and Teen Heros
were also good, and I could see why they are some of the bigger local acts, but nothing about them would make me want to go tell my friends about them, or go buy their CD.

I had not seen the Lassie Foundation in over a year.  Last time I saw them was at The Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa.  The sound was lame and it did not seem like the band was really together.  On top of that there were only 50 people there for the show.  I left feeling fairly unimpressed.

At The Glasshouse, the Foundation blew me away.  Wayne pulled off the vocals nearly flawlessly and made the difficult falsetto parts seem very natural and flowing.  The rest of the band was equally impressive.  Layers
of intricate guitars, solid bass, the ever impressive drumming of the Lenz, melodies, harmonies, the band was on.  Whether heavy rocking assault, or sparse beautiful melodies, the Foundation knows how to create a mood that you get caught up in.  All night I was waiting for them to play "Rock and Roll" which I have always thought was their best song.  By the end of the show I had forgotten about "Rock and Roll" because every song was great.

The crowd ate it up.  You could see fans who knew the words and cheered for every song, but by the end, everyone in the whole place was a fan.  The cheering grew louder.  The energy built.  Other bands started coming in to see what was happening.  In the game of rock and roll it was team Lassie who won. And a decisive victory it was.

They made me want to play music.  To go to clubs.  To rock.  After the show I told Eric that this is the best band he has been in.  If there is an LA band that needs to make it, it is the Lassie Foundation.  I got the news for you.

by Tim Taber
 

Links

ANNIE- http://listen.to/glamrock

Battered Fish- http://www.powerup.com.au/~battered

Dumpster- http://www.powerup.com.au/~dumpster

Havalina Rail Co. Website-    http://www.havalina.home.ml.org

Nzine-   http://come.to/nzine

Official Lassie Foundation Website- http://www.rollanet.org/~johnston

Sukafoi-   http://come.to/latemag

The Redcrown Republic    http://327.com/redcrown

Three Twenty-Seven     http://www.327.com/

Toupee Records- http://www.ozemail.com.au/~toupee
 

Send any comments to: johnston@rollanet.org
Contact the band at theLassief@aol.com
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Thanks to: Tim Taber and the Lassie Foundation