We’re living in a rubble of what used to be the music industry. Sure, there is still tons of money out there. In fact the music industry is still a 40 billion dollar a year industry, or somewhere around there. Where does all that money go? Top dogs yo, but it sure isn’t going to places like Spotify and Pandora like some people seem to think. Those industry players struggle like everyone else. Variety zine says that Katy Perry is proving that the single is the way to go and that the album doesn’t work anymore. Well, I don’t believe that for a second, but I’m not arguing that on the internet. I prefer to argue over a beer with a person sitting across from me and not on some post-1998 forum, blog, or FB thread. Seriously though, I’m not 16 anymore and I’m not exactly into wasting my time. So what we do have is a music industry that’s finally getting creative again.
Where does this rant come from? Well, I sat down with Elim Bolt frontman Johnnie Matthews the other week in Charleston over a pitcher of beer and a couple of plastic cups. We shot the shit about it all, and we both agreed that it’s all about the music and the process of making music and nothing else really matters. Let some marketing folks get a kick out of experimental promotional tools, but as an artist all you really need to focus on is writing, recording, and performing.
Elim Bolt released their debut EP Nude South a year ago via Charleston label Hearts & Plugs, following it up with a year of live performances and a musical chair of lineup changes, but that seems to have settled a bit with the addition of Jessica Oliver (People Person, Can’t Kids) on drums and vocals. Now that’s a power couple lineup that seems to be working.
How to follow up the somewhat regionally successful Nude South? Get grungy and release an EP with three songs covered with a gritty layer of dirt that your first album didn’t have. They’ve cranked the fuzz on this trio of tunes, that are not much more than a couple of catchy power chord riffs, and Matthews yelping about his sexy indie musician lifestyle and his chemical induced fantasies. The new video features some familiar faces from the music scene including members of Brave Baby, Rachel Kate, Co….you just might not recognize them.