Stephen McBean is no stranger to multi-tasking -- just the other week we learned that the Vancouver-based musician was lining up new albums from both his stoner-rock ensemble Black Mountain and the more folk-minded Pink Mountaintops -- so it comes as no surprise to learn that the artist is spending his free time with yet another outfit, Grim Tower.
Speaking to Exclaim!, McBean reveals that his latest project came out of jam sessions with BC-born, part-time Yeah Yeah Yeahs member Imaad Wasif.
"Imaad and I sat in my backyard improvising with strangely detuned acoustic guitars for a few months then started sifting through the tapes and recording the stuff we considered the cream," McBean says. "Throbbing Gristle, Current 93 and Kenneth Anger were all an influence."
Grim Tower recently played their first show and the lineup now includes Brian Jonestown Massacre drummer Dan Allaire and bassist Rob Barbato (Darker My Love). Though neither a release date nor a record label have been chosen just yet, McBean did offer up a few details about their upcoming first album.
"The record's called Anarchic Breezes," McBean explains. "Hopefully that'll be out sometime in the new year."
First up for Wasif, however, is a debut ten-inch from his Electric Flower project with solo artist Josh Garza. The record, which the group's label Narnack Records describes as "part Motorik, part psychedelic, with strains of post-punk, Japanese Group Sounds and East Indian drone," drops November 8.
In other McBean news, it turns out the Vancouver musician isn't the only member of his family making headlines these days. The musician proudly points out that his father Gordon, one of the country's top climate scientists, was just elected president of the International Council for Science.
Considering his father's heralded views on the state of the environment, we're interested in his papa's thoughts on Steve's often earth-crumbling grooves.
Speaking to Exclaim!, McBean reveals that his latest project came out of jam sessions with BC-born, part-time Yeah Yeah Yeahs member Imaad Wasif.
"Imaad and I sat in my backyard improvising with strangely detuned acoustic guitars for a few months then started sifting through the tapes and recording the stuff we considered the cream," McBean says. "Throbbing Gristle, Current 93 and Kenneth Anger were all an influence."
Grim Tower recently played their first show and the lineup now includes Brian Jonestown Massacre drummer Dan Allaire and bassist Rob Barbato (Darker My Love). Though neither a release date nor a record label have been chosen just yet, McBean did offer up a few details about their upcoming first album.
"The record's called Anarchic Breezes," McBean explains. "Hopefully that'll be out sometime in the new year."
First up for Wasif, however, is a debut ten-inch from his Electric Flower project with solo artist Josh Garza. The record, which the group's label Narnack Records describes as "part Motorik, part psychedelic, with strains of post-punk, Japanese Group Sounds and East Indian drone," drops November 8.
In other McBean news, it turns out the Vancouver musician isn't the only member of his family making headlines these days. The musician proudly points out that his father Gordon, one of the country's top climate scientists, was just elected president of the International Council for Science.
Considering his father's heralded views on the state of the environment, we're interested in his papa's thoughts on Steve's often earth-crumbling grooves.
