Trail Of Dead Want Their Hip-Hop Jewelry Free

Texan noise terrors ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead think it's about time American musicians a) start pondering the world more seriously and b) lose the bling. They've done their part with new record Worlds Apart. The title track is particularly harsh in its condemnation of contemporary pop culture, with scathing passages that call out "those cunts on MTV," blast soccer moms and all but blame the very fabric of western civilization for causing 9/11.

"Well, I think an artist in any culture is kind of like the unspoken ambassador of that culture," says guitarist/vocalist Conrad Keely. "You are. You're being a spokesperson for that culture whether it's the Kabuki theatre, hula dancing or rock music and stuff. And it speaks volumes of how you represent yourself as an artist to other people.

"And now where it's become this thing where it's all about materialism. I really had to say something about it."

One of the things Keely and his counterpart Jason Reece want you to understand is how sad present day hip-hop is compared to the old school days.

"Y'know, of course people associate America with rock music, with rock 'n' roll culture," Keely says. "And if rock 'n' roll culture and rap culture — especially hip-hop — I think, when we were growing up, hip-hop was so important. It had so much to do with the underground..."

Reece interjects, "it just seems kind of ironic that people are dying for gold and diamonds in Africa or wherever and these hip-hop stars are wearing it like it's no big thing."

"And the trip is that 15 per cent of all diamonds are unable to be verified," continues Keely. "No matter where you bought them there's a 15 per cent chance they're blood diamonds, y'know. And so these guys are wearing all this fuckin' jewelry and wearing it with a sense of status. And I'm just like, what's wrong with this picture, y'know?"

Trail Of Dead may be notorious for their brazen, equipment-destroying live shows, but this righteous musical vitriol found in the title track is still kinda new to them. Not that they're playing shy about it or anything.

"It's like, I guess it's a very political song," says Reece. "And we'd never really written many political songs. We've been very socially political but, y'know, within our own lives or whatever. But nothing so just 'Fuck y'all' y'know?

"A profound fuck you."

Tour dates for And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead are:
April 13 Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Music Hall
April 14 Ottawa, ON @ Capitol Music Hall
April 15 Toronto, ON @ Opera House
April 16 London, ON @ Call The Office
May 17 Edmonton, AB @ Red's
May 18 Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
May 20 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom