High Five With Andy Bauer (New Labor)
New Labor has a unique show coming up at the Triple Rock with fellow locals Nightosaur, in which both bands will combat the lovey-dovey Valentines Day vibe with their caustic “who gives a fuck” attitude. You can check out New Labor’s Andy Bauer’s responses to our High Five interview series below, and don’t forget to check out the show on V Day.
1. If you were going on a cross country road trip and could bring a long any three people in the world, who would they be and why?.
A priest, a rabbi and an atheist. We’d do a lot of walking into bars.
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2. What is one album that you feel has changed your life and how?
FEAR – the Record. This was one of the first hardcore punk records I was seriously exposed to. Along with Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables by the Dead Kennedys and Static Age by the Misfits, the Record kind of forged the path of my musical tastes.
3. Who are a band that you feel should get more recognition than they do, and why?
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Brown Secret is one of my favorite local bands. The lead singer/guitar player, Michael Popowski, wears a huge centaur costume on stage but it doesn’t really get any mention. Apparently it’s his brown secret. It’s a great visual thing plus Mike writes excellent, super tight, understated, chill rock songs maybe along the lines of Up on the Sun era Meat Puppets. The main reason they don’t get more recognition is that they don’t play very often. Most people who see them seem to enjoy it.
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4. What is your favorite live music memory (performing or attending)?
Years ago I was in a band called the Amish Armada and for a big Halloween show we built a barn on the stage ala The Wall. It was just a super fun night being with a lot of good friends and we successfully pulled off one of the most ambitious projects I’ve been a part of. As for great shows I’ve seen, that’s tough, I’ve been to a ton of shows and I don’t have a steel trap mind for that kind of stuff. I recently saw Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine at the 400 bar and despite that club’s terrible reputation I had a blast and the band fucking tore it up. That 50 year old man plays harder than most musicians half his age. It was a seriously great show.
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5. Finish this sentence: “Minneapolis is a great place to….”
Minneapolis is a great place to see a show, eat food, get drunk, have sex, buy drugs, ride a bike, go fishing and to feel inferior to coastal cities. Not necessarily in that order.
New Labor: Site
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