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Premieres

We're Premiering Two Tracks from The Reverb Conspiracy III, featuring Goat, Anton Newcombe and Lola Colt

We have the first instalment of The Reverb Conspiracy III compilation, plus an interview with Anton Newcombe of Brian Jonestown Massacre telling us how good it is.
Emma Garland
London, GB

European label Fuzz Club Records and the American Reverb Appreciation Society (run by the guys behind Austin Psych Fest) are set to co-release the third volume of their psych compilation series The Reverb Conspiracy.

From its inception in 2012, The Reverb Conspiracy was a catalyst for the European Psych Nouveau movement. The compilation brings together fifteen bands from all over Europe, sparking more creative chemistry than a night of speed dating at Andy Warhol's Factory. While there are a lot of artists out there bandying around the term “DIY”, The Reverb Conspiracy grabs a bunch of bands cut from the same self-sufficient cloth and throws them together.

Annoncering

The results are pretty exciting, as you can judge by this split between Goat (mixed by Anton Newcombe of Brian Jonestown Massacre) and Lola Colt (produced by Jim Sclavunos of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds), premiering below.

We also pinned down Anton to have a chat about the series, DIY, and how his internal GPS unit leads him to do exclusively great things.

Noisey: Brian Jonestown Massacre has been involved with The Reverb Appreciation Society before. I guess you like them enough to keep getting involved?
Anton: As an outsider and a fan of do-it-yourself media my whole life, I was immediately impressed by both the Fuzz Club aesthetic and taste in music and that holds true with the Reverb Appreciation Society and all the things they are involved with. I know that this "movement" is an eco system - there will never be a store or a concert venue devoted to just Brian Jonestown Massacre, Fuzz Club, Black Angels or anyone - that is why as an artist and producer it is always in your best interest to cross pollinate and help other people out in any way.

You don’t strike me as someone who would collaborate with just anyone. When did you first hear Goat and what got you excited about working with them?
My friend Franz from the group Les Big Byrd (Sweden) told me that I had to check them out (this is right after they started). I became a fan quite quickly - it all seemed like fun to me and people in Europe were enjoying the concerts and that's a good thing for everyone.

Annoncering

The most obvious difference in your remake of “Hide From The Sun” (aside from the fact that it’s twice as long) is that there’s a lot more going on in the track. It’s more layered than the original and it also sounds less clean, production-wise. Could you talk through your interpretation of the track and your vision for reconstructing it?
I am interested in quasi-mystical states of being. To that end I have an internal GPS unit that, without fail, leads me to an interesting destination. Now maybe it's not where you want to go, but I'm not creating or learning for some imaginary demographic or to sell Pepsi or some bullshit, I'm just trying to make something interesting out of whatever ingredients there are to use - spiritual or otherwise.

When you’re always trying to experiment with different sounds, how do you personalise your work?
I feel like I have my own unique take on the harmony of spheres so I don't really think about it. I keep it all really simple then move on to the next thing.

What pushed you to start your own record label and how do you approach “singing” artists; do you tend to actively seek stuff out or stumble across things as and when?
I always stumble upon new projects, but listen, artists are very dim. I explain that I have the best distribution on the planet. I do a 30/70 deal after cost and still most people don't take it. It's like fine - do a 50/50, three times removed from the actual record deal. Make 50 cents per album with your 50/50 buddy. I don't fucking care, you idiots.

Annoncering

Sleaford Mods obviously got it because you released their 12” single.
Their message is true and it needs to be said. I loved the track so I asked them and it worked out. I think many bands and artists are afraid to be real, but why should they? Everything else is fake. They are just going with the flow.

In a sentence, what’s the biggest problem with the music industry right now?
Too much lubrication, not enough grit.

Everyone throws around the term “DIY” these days, but what does it mean to you?
It means you are actively involved in bringing something into being that without that effort would not exist.

Why should people listen to The Reverb Conspiracy III?
Because I said so.

Fair enough. Thanks, Anton!

The Reverb Conspiracy Volume III will be limited to 1000 CDs and 1200 double gate-fold white vinyl. It drops on January 25, 2015 via Fuzz Club Records and is available to pre-order now.