Big Business at Neumos in 2005 ::: photo courtesy of Alex Crick

Big business. The idea and the meaning behind the syntax can be a bit overwhelming. Jobs lost. Bankruptcy. White Collar Crime. Ralph Nader wagging his spindly fingers and barking forewarning. I’d be lying if I told you the band made me as nervous as the actual socioeconomic phenomena, but that doesn’t mean a dude can’t meet up with some friends for a birthday celebration at the Moon Temple before watching Big Business takeover El Corazon. Drinks before a show, in the industry, we call it “preparation time.”

For those who are unfamiliar with the Moon Temple in Wallingford, I shun you over the internet. For those who are familiar with the Temple of Stiff Drinks, they realize that my mentioning of the Moon Temple is not an endorsement of a great dive bar, but rather a preface to the evenings observations. I was only there for a spell, but that’s all that it takes.

El Corazon has a weird magnetic pull about the place. I’m not saying it’s attractive. When you’re thinking of going to a show, more often than not, El Corazon isn’t the first place that comes to mind. However, it’s been my experience that whenever I’m within close proximity of said venue, I feel this weird sickness in my stomach. My lung capacity is automatically reduced to 50% of what it was. My vision is slightly blurred. A feeling of malaise and futility washes over my mind and body. The venue has it’s gems (such as Pig Destroyer earlier this year) but on the whole, going to El Corazon is like having a swimming pool in your backyard, only that pool is actually the blood of the cherubims. You don’t mind taking a dip when it gets too hot, it’s only out of necessity. Besides your neighbors are judgmental pricks anyway.

I entered El Corazon and was witness to a somewhat bizarre scene. A man who I’d describe as a mix between Dr. Rockzo (Metalocalypse) and Krusty the Klown (The Simpsons) was alone on-stage with a guitar that had no headstock.

The strings were so thick that his guitar may have actually been a bass, which of course would make me a moron. Let me also say that Kroxo the Doom Metal Troubadour (you like that?) wasn’t actually alone, he had a drum machine sitting on a stool next to him during his set. He wore stonehenge as an expression and left his enthusiasm at his apartment. Needless to say, this is something I didn’t need to see. I left the Moon Temple entirely too early. I left Kroxo and his one man band and headed to El Corazon’s bar, located conveniently far away from the stage. I needed to get away from this weirdness for a while. My predicament would’ve made the perfect Snickers commercial as I searched for things to do on my Blackberry for the next 40 or so minutes.     
     
Big Business took the stage. Prior to the show, I refused to listen to the band because I wanted to be surprised. I knew that the band had elements of Karp, Murder City Devils, Tight Bros From Way Back When (Throwback! Prior to receiving the press release for this show, I hadn’t heard that name in years) and the Melvins. That’s quite an eclectic mix to say the least. The first song Big Business played reminded me of the Melvins, but not in a good way. It wasn’t one of those “Oh fuck yeah! It’s the Melvins!” tracks but rather “Oh fuck. It’s the Melvins”. The kind of a song that wouldn’t be out of place on Prick. Weird, “we’re going to fuck with you because we paid for this studio time” shit. You know what I’m talking about. It sounded like a song you might write if you didn’t really like your audience. Bass that is slithery and engulfed in low end, a snare pattern that was copied from a drum line textbook and weird atmospheric guitar to set the mood. The guitar was probably the best part. It was just Toshi Kasai doing a pick slide with a slide near the bridge of his guitar. It sounded really cool.

The rest of Big Business’ set was nothing like the introductory song and that’s probably a good thing. My attention to detail has been waning as of late and with Kroxo not doing Big Business any favors as an opener, I wouldn’t have made it the whole way through. The rest of the night was off kilter rock and roll tastiness. It was remarkable enough for me to forgive the drummer for wearing a boy band microphone headset throughout the performance. Sorry. That kind of headset is more frequent on the Mouseketeer circuit than it is in clubs like El Corazon. But Coady Willis, the drummer for Big Business, was that good. He punches the clock when he gets behind that drum kit, his chops will be a noticeable strong point as Big Business mulls over conquest. If Big Business lives up to its namesake, conquest should come as naturally as tanning does to Californians. Their songs are potential mixed-martial-arts fighter introduction music. If Andre the Giant were still with us, I could see him marching down the aisle to “The Drift.” Hulk Hogan wouldn’t have a chance. 

Big Business plays music, you crumble at their feet. It’s not complicated nor sexy but they get the job done. Unlike many of the mom and pop bands they’ll “unknowingly” put out of business.

Jeff Ament (right) playing with Green River at last year’s SP20 festival ::: Photo by Josh

Today Rolling Stone reports Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament was attacked by three masked men, mugged and robbed outside of the Atlanta studio where Pearl Jam is doing work on their next album. Thousands in cash and goods were taken.

It looks like Ament won’t be hanging out in Atlanta too long as his old band from Montana Deranged Diction is reuniting this weekend for two special shows, one happening May 15th at the new Crocodile (see poster below). Then the following week I guessing Ament will be reprising his role as a member of Green River at the Showbox at the Market for two shows in a row supporting the Melvins.

No word yet on any Seattle dates for Ament’s current band, however one blogger seems to think that a Bumbershoot appearance by the band could still be in the works. A commenter to that post, apparently from the Bumbershoot staff, says they are 100% positive the band is not playing though. Too bad for us I guess.