Looking for a new direction? Add the producer. That’s what happened to Big Business, the twin attack dogs of drummer Coady Willis and bassist-singer Jared Warren. Their newest, Mind The Drift, could be a metaphor for the addition of guitarist Toshi Kasai, or a natural progression for musos looking to expand sound.
Kasai, an old friend and tourmate of Willis and Warren’s, recorded The Melvins’ bonecrusher Nude With Boots, which saw Willis and Warren backing — and updating with brute force — Buzz “King Buzzo” Osborne’s punishing ethic. Kasai’s an alchemist of a guitar player, known for modding, or modifying, his pedals to do basically whatever he wants.
“When we started the band, we never consciously said we had to be a two-piece,” Willis says by phone. “We just didn’t find anybody for a long time.”
Willis and Warren’s noise program has deep roots: Warren’s are in Karp, whose method of mayhem ran from 1990-1998 and saw the band open for Beck at one point. Willis did time in Murder City Devils, who broke up, then reunited for sporadic festival appearances (this year’s Coachella and Sasquatch, to name two).
Kosai adds another voice and perspective to a band that might not have needed one. One listen to Mind The Drift and Kosai’s texture and wizardry sound, at first, like a stunt. As the album progresses, he becomes a necessary organ.
“He plays a lot against Jared,” Willis says. “Plus, he has the vocals going on too. It’s a counterpoint to what the vocals and the bass are doing. He’s into circuit bending … he’s like a weird mad scientist.”
Joining the bill are tourmates Tweakbird.
Big Business
Tweakbird
Headliners Music Hall
1386 Lexington Road
584-8088
www.headlinerslouisville.com
HEAR MORE:
Big Business
www.bigbigbusiness.com
Tweakbird
www.tweakbird.com
Ohio Valley Folk Festival
Madison, Ind., has more going than high-speed boat races. This weekend, Paul Burch, Sam Bush, Brigid Kaelin, Troubadours of Divine Bliss and more play the Ohio River Valley Folk Festival. Tickets are $20 for the two-day event, or $10 for Friday, $15 for Saturday.
More Silence
According to ear X-tacy’s website, the “Break The Silence” benefit, which was canceled last weekend due to rain, has been rescheduled for Monday, May 18, at the Brown-Forman Amphitheatre. Advance tickets are $13, $16 day of.
Kreation
Kreator, Exodus, Belphegor, Warbringer and Epicurean play Headliners May 14. Advance tickets for the 6 p.m. show are $20, $23 at the door.