all photos: Robert A. Macy
In April, Stereogum wrote this (and shared a few MP3s) about a new band The Muslims:
Assured-beyond-their-years San Diego quartet the Muslims will definitely get a lot of attention for their name, but we’re much more interested in the band’s catchy, sorta sloppy and stark post-punk-infused rock ‘n’ roll. They mix a kind of Strokes-y, and therefore VU, detachment and something that bumps in the night like Hell and his Voidoids (or, better yet, Hell and the Heartbreakers doing “Love Comes In Spurts”). You can also hear a bit of the Stooges — not just because the band cites ‘em, along with the Replacements, as an inspiration — and early Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers (see “Future Rock,” “On My Time,” etc). Whatever the mix of forerunners, the Muslims find a way to make it their own — it’s kinda uncanny.
Who then proceeded to be called by various outlet media “the best new band in America” and other things that various outlet media enjoys bestowing upon a band they all somehow manage to agree upon.
So, when the Muslims played DC9 last week, we sent Robert to capture a few snaps of what all this fuss was about.
Added note:
The self-titled 12″ is out now on 1928 Recordings, where you can hear even more sounds. Also, at the Muslim’s MySpace they note re: the 12″ that, “If you decide to buy the record you will receive a FREE CD version of the record. That free CD has 3 bonus songs on it. (if all of this isn’t enough, go here for a cassette-quality “Geez, Geez, Geez.” Great stuff.) They’re playing some live shows, too.
…”But we’re much more interested in the band’s catchy, sorta sloppy and stark post-punk-infused rock ‘n’ roll. They mix a kind of Strokes-y, and therefore VU, detachment and something that bumps in the night like Hell and his Voidoids (or, better yet, Hell and the Heartbreakers doing “Love Comes In Spurts”). ”
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING
June 23, 2008 at 10:42 amThe Voidoids? That dude in the adidas shirt doesn’t look fit to tune Bob Quine’s guitar.
June 23, 2008 at 11:46 amMore than being inappropriate, I think this band’s name is tacky.
June 23, 2008 at 12:52 pmThey should have called themselves the Mooo-slims, and wore Texas Longhorns hats.
June 23, 2008 at 1:20 pmand shirts with anorexic cows on them. sorry.
June 23, 2008 at 1:46 pmI bet sara is really fun to hang out with
June 23, 2008 at 3:21 pmFor obviously all being into indie bands and bands trying to make it on their own (or you would not be on this site), you appear to have more of that stereotypical sense of entitlement and prototypical, “I think my opinion and tastes are more advanced and important than they really are” attitude. No one on this thread actually went to The Muslims show, but yet somehow everyone has that false sense of self-worth and entitlement that most hipster douchebags posses, that allows you to talk about their name and what they look like. If that is your thing, go to MTV.com/totalrequestlive, click “I’m a fag” and post that weak shit about someone else. The guitar player in the adidas shirt is actually very good as is the lead singer, who has incredibly original vocals and lyrics.
Why don’t you all go back to refilling your Hot Topic loyalty cards, and drinking soy lattes in pre-shrunk woman’s jeans instead of ripping a band unworthy of your cyniciscm. They played at the Vice Records private party in NYC and South by Southwest in Austin, so I guess there are a few people out there who look past “tacky” names and the inability to tune “Bob Quine’s guitar”.
Yes, my friend is in The Muslims and it pisses me off to no end when I read uncalculated shit like this from people who probably think Juno should have won Best Picture and that Starbucks is evil. I look forward to having sex with your girlfriends sometime in the hopefully not too far off future.
June 23, 2008 at 3:43 pmlol easy, little fella.
i see *some*body likes this band. well, thanks for telling me about the music a little bit instead of just showing pictures because that’s what i wanted, though most of your post was pretty angry. you wanna hug it out, bitch?
i’m not a hipster, but you definitely showed that you were a douchebag with your last sentence in this post, fratty mcfratterson. eat shit, bati-boy, and then go bang your dorky looking musician friend in the mouth and tell him how funny his band’s name is.
i’ll give the music a chance, but not you, toolbag. go kill yourself.
Well, at first I thought The Muslims were kinda lame but now that DaveT has accused me of being a homosexual who shops at Hot Topic and, paradoxically, threatened to have sex with my girlfriend, I’m starting to come around. The Muslims are the greatest thing since Tapes ‘n’ Tapes.
June 23, 2008 at 5:02 pmi keep clicking “I’m a fag” but i still like women…i think mtv is broken.
June 23, 2008 at 7:14 pm
so was anyone at dc9 to review or just to snap shots? i like their influences (especially since paul westerberg is a mastermind), but i’m curious to see what someone actually thought of them live. they definitely have the rocker wardrobe down *ahem*
June 23, 2008 at 10:24 amthe muslims. what a silly name.