(ED NOTE: “Soundtrack†is a recurring feature in which we tell you more about the music heard in each episode of Best Week Ever. This week, we’re talking about The Airborne Toxic Event.)
Hello! It’s Friday night! Why are you on-line? Because you’re super curious about that song playing during tonight’s episode of Best Week Ever, that’s why! You were tapping your foot to “Gasoline” by Los Angeles based indie rock band, The Airborne Toxic Event. Their debut album The Airborne Toxic Event, has received mixed reviews. But last week, when Pitchfork gave the album an abysmal rating of 1.6, the band quickly responded with a lengthy, articulate letter to the reviewer on their website. Some may argue that this was a dumb move on the band’s part, because it just highlights and gives power to Pitchfork and the bad review. Others argue that it’s smart, in that they stood up for themselves but without stooping to the reviewer’s level (and I tend to agree, even if you hate the music, I don’t think you can deny that their response is very well written and a definitive holding of the head high).
Either way…my question is. What’s up with this band name?
Apparently it’s a reference to Don DeLillo’s novel White Noise, so that’s cool. But sometimes when I see new band names I seriously wonder if they just randomly put some words together. I think if I start a band I too will reference some of my favorite books. Here were some band names I was toying with:
All Night Long (in reference to my favorite Sweet Valley High novel)
Remember Me Trilogy (Christopher Pike rules!)
Sara Schaefer & The Piggle Wiggles
Island! Of The Blue Dolphins
The Bobbsey Twins
Yes. You are right. I have not read a book since I was 13.
Aaaaaanyway, here’s the band’s performing an acoustic version of “Gasoline” at the Vh1 Times Square office, as part of the “20th Floor Performances” series.
The Airborne Toxic Event website
The Airborne Toxic Event MySpace
