Podcast appearances and mentions of john andrew fredrick

"It's astonishing that a group as dedicated to quality and craft as California's Black Watch could go for...decades with a cult following the size of a kitchen sponge." So begins Michael Toland's entry of the black watch in the Trouser Press Record Guide. But what exactly is a cult band? It's something that we seek to define - with fifteen prime examples, natch - during O3L's Season 6 premiere! Joining us is the black watch's singer/songwriter/guitarist/prolific genius himself, John Andrew Fredrick! It should be noted that Toland follows up the kitchen sponge comment with "...the band's body of work is remarkably consistent, worth searching out by more than just epicures of obscurity." He's right, y'know. John Andrew Frederick has two dozen albums of stellar indie pop to his name since 1988, including a pair of fantastic records in 2024 - The Morning Papers Have Given Us the Vapours and Weird Rooms. You can find those and more at https://theblackwatch.bandcamp.com. What's it like to be a cult hero? What's the most "cultish" thing black watch fans have done? What beloved cult band can John not get behind? Did the lads give John some ideas for his upcoming double album? So whaddya say? Join the "Mark E. Smiths of podcasting" for an episode stuffed to the gills with epicures of obscurity, brilliant failures, and horrible pleasures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The King Of Good Intentions III" John Andrew Fredrick is the author of several books, including one on the early films of Wes Anderson, but he also happens to be the braintrust of the beloved band the black watch, whose extensive body of work is an endless orchard of sonic joy. If you know their work, you know the deal. If you don't, jump in and grab anything they've ever done and work your way forwards and backwards through their nearly 30 album discography--you will not be disappointed. As for John's The King of Good Intentions trilogy, in Part 3, which is the final volume of the series,Fredrick continues to chronicles the misadventures of the '90s indie rock outfit The Weird Sisters and there's a great deal to chronicle: love, love triangles, misunderstandings, madcap episodes and utter rock and roll chaos. The Virginia-born, but Southern California dwelling Fredrick writes with undeniable narrative velocity, comedic charm and a big, big heart. His sentences are fresh and vibrant and it's hard to think of anyone who can craft a better paragraph--the language here is elastic, joyful and commanding and every page sparks with literary momentum. www.theblackwatch.bandcamp.com www.bombshellradio.com www.embersarts.com Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

Is there really a division in today's culture between those who create and the merely receptive masses? Mark gathers three artists in different media about the place of the artist in society: sci-fi author Brian Hirt, art photographer and academic Amir Zaki, and musician/novelist/ex-English prof John Andrew Fredrick (of The Black Watch). We touch on art education, the self-understanding of artists, the relation between artist and consumer, art vs. commerce, bad art vs. non-art, and much more. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content at patreon.com/prettymuchpop or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to the Mark Lintertainment Channel.

Is there really a division in today's culture between those who create and the merely receptive masses? Mark gathers three artists in different media about the place of the artist in society: sci-fi author Brian Hirt, art photographer and academic Amir Zaki, and musician/novelist/ex-English prof John Andrew Fredrick (of The Black Watch). We touch on art education, the self-understanding of artists, the relation between artist and consumer, art vs. commerce, bad art vs. non-art, and much more. For more, visit prettymuchpop.com. Hear bonus content at patreon.com/prettymuchpop or by subscribing via Apple Podcasts to the Mark Lintertainment Channel.

Young Southpaw has his first repeat guest with The Black Watch’s John Andrew Fredrick. Always a good time with the elegantly loquacious Mr. Fredrick, talking about Nabokov, tennis, the new Black Watch album ‘Fromthing Somethat’, the possibility that Rachel Cusk, Epiphone Guitars, The Ocean Blue, & Congress are all listening to this episode together, and much much more  https://theblackwatch.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/theblackwatchmusic  Young Southpaw: Speaking of secret messages and Nabokov, I re-read ‘The Vane Sisters’ last night.  John Andrew Fredrick: Yeah, that’s a powerful one. That’s the kind of short story along the lines of a number of others of his, like ‘Spring In Fialta’ for instance, or other things, any given Chekov story, or lots of Katherine Mansfield, that you could read throughout your life and many, many times and find so much to be bewildered by and in awe of and in the presence of just wondrousness as well. Did you love it once again? I’m sure  YS: Oh yeah, and you notice little things more every time. And it’s about those little things, just finding the wonder in the ‘glass-blown minutiae’, the line that he ascribes to Cynthia Vale.  JAF: Yeah, it’s one of my favourites of his, and one that I think ‘okay, let me brace myself’ when I sit down to read it. Cause Nabokov’s on my top shelf. If you look up there (points to bookcase) you can see at the very top that he’s there. And Henry James and Proust right below him. Yes, absolutely. And he talked very sincerely, as sincere as he could be with interviewers, about the ways in which he wrote to amuse himself. And somebody with such a towering brain, I daresay he would have to invent a certain amount of games for his delight, thinking solely, as he remarked many a time in Strong Opinions that he really writes with nobody but himself, an ideal reader, in mind. That’s not to say that it’s all solipsistic, although he’s been accused of that. I think that he’s not alone. Robert Smith has said many a time about Cure songs that when he wants to hear a great song, without hubris he’d say ‘I write one’. And I can really relate to that because I do write both songs and stories in order to please myself. And I do the same thing when I paint something, to have something that I really want to look at or I’ll toss it.  

Young Southpaw talks to The Black Watch main man, John Andrew Fredrick, about their ace new record 'Brilliant Failures', their fantastically named previous albums 'Led Zeppelin Five' and 'Magic Johnson', shoegazing & tennis, time travel (he's not into it), and much more https://www.facebook.com/theblackwatchmusic/https://theblackwatch.bandcamp.com/

An interview with John Andrew Fredrick of The Black Watch. 

The Black Watch special with John Andrew Fredrick in conversation with David Eastaugh The Black Watch is an American independent rock band from Santa Barbara, California, United States, whose only constant member has been singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter, John Andrew Fredrick. Through their twenty years in the recording industry, the group has affiliated with at least eight different record labels. Fredrick formed the band in 1987 after earning his Ph.D. in English from University of California, Santa Barbara. After recording St. Valentine and releasing it on eskimo, Fredrick's own label, violinist J'Anna Jacoby joined the group and the two of them formed the nucleus of the band until she left the group in 2003. The Black Watch has recorded and toured consistently throughout its history except for a brief period in 1997 when the band broke up. During this hiatus, Fredrick wrote The King of Good Intentions, a semi-autobiographical novel about an indie rock band. The band recorded a CD of the same title intended as a companion piece to the novel. In 2008, guitarist and singer Steven Schayer (formerly of the New Zealand band The Chills) joined, and Fredrick published another book of fiction, The Knucklehead Chronicles. In 2013, The band released The End of When on Pop Culture Press Records.

John has released 17 albums and 5 EPs of guitar-based post-punk as the Black Watch since 1988. He's also an English professor who's published 5 books.   We discuss "Eustacia's Dream" from Magic Johnson (2019), "Emily, Are You Sleeping?" from Led Zeppelin Five (2011), "Inner City Garden" from The Hypnotizing Sea (2005), and premiere "Much of a Muchness" from the forthcoming Crying All the Time EP. For more, see johnandrewfredrick.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

John has released 17 albums and 5 EPs of guitar-based post-punk as the Black Watch since 1988. He's also an English professor who's published 5 books.   We discuss "Eustacia's Dream" from Magic Johnson (2019), "Emily, Are You Sleeping?" from Led Zeppelin Five (2011), "Inner City Garden" from The Hypnotizing Sea (2005), and premiere "Much of a Muchness" from the forthcoming Crying All the Time EP. For more, see johnandrewfredrick.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

This week’s guest is John Andrew Fredrick of The Black Watch. Their career spans over 30 years. Their discography contains over 18 albums. And John has written 4 novels. He might be the most prolific writer we’ve ever featured. Check out his site johnandrewfredrick.com & the black watch on IG. Follow us @performanceanx. Subscribe, rate, review. Merch @ www.performanceanx.threadless.com

Today's Bombshell (Bombshell Radio) Bombshell RadioToday 2pm-3pm EST 11pm-12pm PDT 7pm-8pm BST bombshellradio.comhttps://tunein.com/radio/Bombshell-Radio-s25742stereoembersmagazine.comStereo Embers MagazineAlex Green #Interview w/ The Black Watch#StereoEmbers #podcast #RadioShow #AlexGreen #Alternative #NewMusic #Nowplaying #BombshellRadio -##TheBlackWatchDon’t Remind John Andrew Fredrick About How Obscure The Black Watch Are…Because he already knows and he’s kind of sick of hearing it. And why wouldn’t he be? After nearly25 albums and EP’s, Fredrick’s the black watch remain one of the best kept secrets in music and that they are remains a befuddling fact. However, in spiteof outlets ranging from USA Today to Trouser Press declaring that the SantaBarbara outfit should be massive, the black watch soldier on under the radar. In this conversation Fredricktalks to Alex about The Jazz Butcher, the artist’s pursuit of perfection and beingcalled the California Cure. Fredrick also talks about his band’s new Paper BoatsEP, the black watch’s upcoming album and maintaining the manic pop thrill.

"Don’t Remind John Andrew Fredrick About How Obscure The Black Watch Are" …Because he already knows and he’s kind of sick of hearing it. And why wouldn’t he be? After nearly 25 albums and EP’s, Fredrick’s the black watch remain one of the best kept secrets in music and that they are remains a befuddling fact. However, in spite of outlets ranging from USA Today to Trouser Press declaring that the Santa Barbara outfit should be massive, the black watch soldier on under the radar. In this conversation Fredrick talks to Alex about The Jazz Butcher, the artist’s pursuit of perfection and being called the California Cure. Fredrick also talks about his band’s new Paper Boats EP, the black watch’s upcoming album and maintaining the manic pop thrill.

Todd Pasternack In conversation with John Andrew Fredrick by rarebirdlit

Tom Stern, author of My Vanishing Twin (Rare Bird, 2017), speaks with John Andrew Fredrick, author of Fucking Innocent (Rare Bird, 2017).

The longevity of the band the black watch is a testament to tenacity and persistence. Originally from Santa Barbara, California, singer, guitarist and songwriter John Andrew Fredrick developed a strong case of musical anglophilia, but in addition to the standard issue Beatles influence, he incorporated bits and pieces from a wide range of British artists into the sound of the band. As the primary songwriter, Fredrick has been the only constant member in the 20-plus-year career of the black watch, and it his artistic vision that has kept the band moving forward through multiple lineup changes. More recent black watch material has a sound that is reminiscent of the best of 80s British pop, and the band provides a classic example as for why American bands so often look to their counterparts in Britain to see how it's done. Fredrick's vocals sneer, guitars grind with a driving jangle and his lyrics illustrate an ability to walk the line between the inherent elegant simplicity of pop music and a command of the language indicative of his PhD in English. Fredrick and the black watch are set to play a national tour in the summer of 2015 and they're finishing up a brand new record called Highs & Lows that is slated for an early 2016 release.

The longevity of the band the black watch is a testament to tenacity and persistence. Originally from Santa Barbara, California, singer, guitarist and songwriter John Andrew Fredrick developed a strong case of musical anglophilia, but in addition to the standard issue Beatles influence, he incorporated bits and pieces from a wide range of British artists into the sound of the band. As the primary songwriter, Fredrick has been the only constant member in the 20-plus-year career of the black watch, and it his artistic vision that has kept the band moving forward through multiple lineup changes. More recent black watch material has a sound that is reminiscent of the best of 80s British pop, and the band provides a classic example as for why American bands so often look to their counterparts in Britain to see how it’s done. Fredrick’s vocals sneer, guitars grind with a driving jangle and his lyrics illustrate an ability to walk the line between the inherent elegant simplicity of pop music and a command of the language indicative of his PhD in English. Fredrick and the black watch are set to play a national tour in the summer of 2015 and they’re finishing up a brand new record called Highs & Lows that is slated for an early 2016 release.

The longevity of the band the black watch is a testament to tenacity and persistence. Originally from Santa Barbara, California, singer, guitarist and songwriter John Andrew Fredrick developed a strong case of musical anglophilia, but in addition to the standard issue Beatles influence, he incorporated bits and pieces from a wide range of British artists into the sound of the band. As the primary songwriter, Fredrick has been the only constant member in the 20-plus-year career of the black watch, and it his artistic vision that has kept the band moving forward through multiple lineup changes. More recent black watch material has a sound that is reminiscent of the best of 80s British pop, and the band provides a classic example as for why American bands so often look to their counterparts in Britain to see how it’s done. Fredrick’s vocals sneer, guitars grind with a driving jangle and his lyrics illustrate an ability to walk the line between the inherent elegant simplicity of pop music and a command of the language indicative of his PhD in English. Fredrick and the black watch are set to play a national tour in the summer of 2015 and they’re finishing up a brand new record called Highs & Lows that is slated for an early 2016 release.

KING OF GOOD INTENTIONS (Verse Chorus Press) Set in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, John Andrew Fredrick's debut novel chronicles the early days of an indie band as they meet, practice, make their first recordings, and get their first break/ big gig.  It's also the story of the flowering love affair between John and Jenny, the two charming but, let's say, troubled guitarists/singers in the band.  John is by day a misanthropic substitute teacher in the crazy, sometimes horrifying world that is the LA Unified School District, while Jenny is a mysterious recovering child prodigy. Along the way, the couple and their bandmates make all kinds of discoveries about themselves and the Hollywood milieu in which they are trying to succeed, a world peopled by narcissistic actors, wannabe screenwriters, pretentious musicians, weirdo fans, crazy neighbors--oh, and an emu. Advance praise for The King of Good Intentions: "Stylish, poetic and mischievous, this is the funniest contemporary novel I've read in a long time"--John Tottenham, author of The Inertia Variations "Witty, quirky, and painfully funny... offers a sweet, sharp take on music, love, and Los Angeles, not to mention subbing.  Wonderful."--Meg Gardiner, author of Ransom River John Andrew Fredrick is the principal singer and songwriter for indie rock band the black watch, who have released 17 CDs to considerable underground acclaim.  His comic novella, the knucklehead chronicles, was published in 2008.  He has taught in The Writing Program at USC, and the English Departments at LMU, SMC, and UCSB, where he received his Ph.D. in English Literature.  He lives in Los Angeles, plays tennis five times a week, and often has been known to treat audiences at his readings to a few acoustic songs from his vast canon as a songwriter. THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS JUNE 6, 2013. COPIES OF THE BOOK FROM THIS EVENT CAN BE PURCHASED HERE: http://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781891241109