Mitch's Predictions
'85 Picks To Click Taken From Matter Magazine #11, April/May, 1985
'86 Mitch Goes Nostradamic On Us Again In Matter #15, June, 1986
April/May,'85
1984's favorites predict the best of 1985
"Who are the bands to watch in 1985 and why?" That's what we asked some of our current favorites-we figured they might know something we don't. We were wrong. Just kiddin'...anyway, we were hoping for another big scoop, like when Mitch Easter predicted ZZ Top's climb to the Top of the Heap last year. Will Mitch be right again this year? Hope not, so read on....
MITCH EASTER, Let's Active
" I think that the new sound is going to be sort of easy listening, with not really loud drums and a lot of strings on things, like "Walk Away Renee" or "Eleanor Rigby" or something like that. And it's gonna be really easy listening, but it's gonna be considered incredibly cool. You can take loud drums so long. I think non-dance mixes are gonna be the next new thing. I don't want to say much. I've got plans. I don't want anyone to copy it. Okay, I don't actually have specific plans like that, but I sort of have an allergy to dance -mixes, and I think that maybe everybody will, or if they do extended mixes, they'll be a lot different. But that's a different subject.
" And then. As I predicted in last year's thing, '70s nostalgia is now just like in ripping full bloom-like our band has started to appreciate what incredible songwriters Aerosmith were. They're kind of a '70s band, although they're still certainly viable. Our Foreigner tape has reawakened us to the glories of 'Urgent' and 'Long Way From Home,' and stuff like that. And, of course, the new Foreigner single is in some ways a foreshadowing of the New Easy Listening Sound. It's a huge hit, and the drums are incredibly low on it-they play good things but the drums are not way out of the mix, which is a pretty scary thing to do these days-and it's number one, you know? They may just be hipper than we can imagine by doing that.
" Last year I mentioned ZZ Top...I can't think of anyone like that, actually. I'm afraid, you know, that it's going to be like Queensryche or something like that, but we can only hope. In International Musician there's a sort of tour diary thing by Queensryche that's really worth reading-they're this new metal band and they all have blood on 'em, stuff like that. And one of 'em looks like Jamie Lee Curtis, and he's telling a story of their tour with Kiss, and he's saying things like, 'Gee, I hope I don't forget to pack anything. Day two, I forgot my camera; fortunately the hotel is next to a mall so I can get a new one.' It's really, uh, RIVETING-'Before the show we like to relax with some soft drinks or maybe some water.' I'm dead serious. This is this tough metal band. Pitiful.
" I really like the '70s band, Family. I don't think they'll ever be really popular, though; they're just kind of a cool, weird group. But it's really weird, like when you compare...well, take metal. All the heavy-metal now-the lyrics are just ' We are in a metal band and we have loud guitars, fuck you.' The lyrics are like that, whereas Aerosmith was singing about, you know...drugs. At least it was a kind of subject."
June '86
Bands To Watch In 1986
MITCH EASTER, Let's Active
I kind of have a feeling right off the top of my head that nothing's gonna' happen. Last time I predicted The New Easy Listening Sound and I think I was kinda' right, with Sade, but this year nothing's right for me at all. Maybe I should call you back. I mean, the roots stuff thing is already sorta' happening-it didn't exactly go away or progress. And you've got your doddering old New Romantics like Arcadia who are still selling some records. And unless it's like our own band, I can't think of anything. Most of us like the Primitons a whole lot-they're a good band. And this group I'm working on from Washington called Hyaa! is sort of my fave at the moment. They're just kind of out there. Those two come to mind. She (bandmate Angie Carlson) likes Soul Asylum. Boy, this is a really non-answer. I don't see any really kinda' trend this year. This rock thing may have run it's course. After 30 years, this may be it. I mean, I'm thinking in terms of what everyone's gonna' be talking about. And I don't think everyone's gonna' be talking about anything. I think people will still buy records, I just don't see this emerging force. And I think also it's probably just a time when all different categories have been around long enough-I mean, nobody really talks about synth bands much. Synth bands are just sorta there, they're like blues bands. Some people will probably think that;s the way it all started. All these things are coexisting; nothing's coming out on top.
(about ten minutes later)
I thought of someone else. There's this guy called George Hamilton V, but he also goes by Hege V. His dad is George Hamilton IV. The dad is pretty famous but he mainly plays in Europe these days. But he's really good. His dad is a friend of my uncle's, they're the same age and went to school around here. Around New Years the dad and son came by and played a tape and it was brilliant. It's sort of modern country music. He's kinda' like one of these guys that come out of today's hepcat scene. It's not as sort of metal as Jason And The Scorchers, but it's more the Jason end of things without the heavy guitar. Kind of a now vaguely country sound. But he's got a real good voice and he's kinda' like a star-one of the things they played me was called "Love Takes You To Heaven And Leaves You In Hell." I thought it was really cool. Not all his stuff is traditionally country. He's another star worth mentioning.
