It's hard to explain Nardwuar the Human Serviette, journalist, singer, record label honcho, to non-Canadians. While he is peculiarly Canadian, his peculiarity is not nation-specific. His interviews, full of non-sequitors and wildly off-topic questions, sometimes become like a Bizarro Antiques Roadshow, with Narduwaur confronting his celebrity guests with items (or trivia) from their past. The results can be hard to stop watching.
Nardwuar also leads a garage-punk band The Evaporators (a bit like a cross between Weird Al and the Shadows of Knight) as well as playing in Thee Goblins. While often dismissed as a novelty act, The Evaporators know their way around a catchy song and have kept getting better as they've gone on.
Nardwuar also heads an eponymous record label. His label picked up on the work of Canada's eighties garage-rock label, Og Records (lots more here) though on this compilation he donated half the vinyl to American bands (!) Regardless of your nationalist bias it's a hell of a cast list, including the Mummies, NoMeansNo, The Muffs, The Smugglers, Mudhoney, The Gruesomes, and Beat Happening et al.
Clam Chowder & Ice vs. Big Macs & Bombers L.P
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This looks awesome! Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteYou don't happen to have Track 1, do you?
Anon
ReplyDeleteD'oh I knew SOMEone would notice but I didn't think it would happen so quick. The rip I found was missing track 1 ("Friendship Intro: Nardwuar & The U-Men Vs God") but as it was just ANOTHER Nardwuar talking track I figured it was worth posting anyhow.
The first time I saw Nardwuar the Evaporators were opening up for Pavement. I wish I could say I was cool enough to have loved them from the get go but, truth be told, their wacky take on garage rock was really irritating to me at the time.
ReplyDeleteI remember that Nards nearly got his clock cleaned for knocking over some frat-slacker's beer in one of his hysteric take-the-audience-by-storm-and-force-them-to-Chicken-Dance moments.
Truly, he is one of Canada's greatest showmen and seeing the video for that (catchy as hell!) lil' tune has made me long for the days when I could play to half empty halls.
ha! awesome!
ReplyDeleteproud to say i have this one on vinyl too!
killer...
cp
I have to say, I never like Nardwuar's interviews. I guess it just seems like a platform for him to show off his esoteric (albeit, impressive, but still esoteric) knowledge of pop culture, and/or pop culture merchandise. It seems like less of an interview and more of a- hey, look how much I know about this stuff, and "aren't you impressed by the random shit that I have that I can pull out of my bag." It always seems more sad than anything to me.
ReplyDeleteNIck
You got a fine vinyl collection cp, these Nardwuar comps are definitely fun.
ReplyDeleteCPB
Awesome Nardwuar recollections. He is annoying, no question but I think one learns to appreciate it - see next comment.
Nick
I can't disagree with most of what you say, you've described him fairly accurately. But since, to some degree, I trade in trying to show off my obscurities too (maybe it's a fellow rock nerd solidarity thing) I've learned to cheer for the guy after a long time of wanting to punch him. Plus that N.E.R.D. interview is an example of his 'random-shit-pulling' being kinda heart-warming.
Thanks for the intro to The Evaporators and Nardwaur.
ReplyDeleteMr. Sauve
ReplyDeleteYou are ever-so-welcome for being introduced to the Narwuarian World, escape is now impossible.
Jeffen-
ReplyDeleteI would say what he does, and what you do are two completely different things.
I think that he is being obnoxious and a show-off. Meanwhile, I think you are sharing music that you love, with people who aprreciate it. You aren't just spewing off obscure, pop-culture minutia for it's own sake. I for one appreciate what you do-and Narduar, well, I think Naruar is just annoying.
Nick
Nick
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming to my defence. It does make me happy when I can infect others with my love of obscurities. So I'm just glad to have you along for the ride.