Among the many terms of popular music discourse, “mainstream” is probably one of the most appropriately applied terms. Given, what may be classified as mainstream may very well be hard to define, but the connotations of the term itself are more informed than one might think. When one thinks “stream,” one thinks “flow,” and “going with” logically follows.
What is mainstream, then? It means going with the flow, plain and simple. It isn’t necessarily defined by the amount of records an artist sells. Many have grasped chart success, yet that troublesome label has eluded them?the Rolling Stones, the Clash, Nirvana, Wu-Tang Clan and others spring to mind. Musical expression thrives at the margins of the mainstream. Those that fight their way against the current are those that challenge us, and two artists who have thrived at the margins will come to the 9:30 Club this week.
Slayer has been swimming upstream now for nearly two decades. One of the first and most influential thrash metal bands, Slayer has been shocking authority figures since its inception. Fellow thrash groundbreaker Metallica has long since floated by, succumbing to mainstream pandering.
Pandering does not mix well with Slayer?an unwillingness to dilute nihilistic subject matter, such as that found on the band’s latest album, God Hates Us All, has made persistent enemies among parents and religious demagogues alike throughout Slayer’s career.
Aside from controversial lyrical content, metal bands today still envy Slayer’s impressive musical chops. The sheer speed of guitarist Jeff Hanneman is matched by very few of his contemporaries. Bassist Tom Araya and drummer Paul Bostaph comprise what is possibly metal’s most potent rhythm section?quite an accomplishment in a genre where 32nd-note kick drum lines are a prerequisite.
If you see Slayer Wednesday, expect an uncompromising performance from these veteran thrashers?they really don’t know how to do it any other way.
Kool Keith, who might be better known as Dr. Octagon, the world’s foremost interplanetary gynecologist, has been hip-hop’s village weirdo for over a decade. Fresh off the release of a new album, Spankmaster, Keith stops at the 9:30 Club for the late show this Saturday.
The beats on Spankmaster are his freshest since his Octagon-era collaborations with producer Dan “the Automator” Nakamura. Indeed, the production on Spankmaster, courtesy of Detroit producers Esham and Santos, includes some fairly skillful imitation-Automator material (“Drugs”), flat-out P-Funk tributes (the title track) and rather interesting live instrumentation throughout. It is a good bet that Saturday’s show will include similar live accompaniment, as well as a unique sense of showmanship, which may very well involve Keith tossing Zip-Lock bags full of chicken wings and Capri-Sun into the crowd.
Though his production is notable, Kool Keith’s reputation is built mainly on his ridiculously over-the-top rhymes. Known for his all-around lasciviousness, Kool Keith has declared himself, with no small amount of pride, hip-hop’s “original pervert.” On Spankmaster, he takes things to a new level with lines so prurient I cannot quote them here.
This raises some important questions: Is Kool Keith also hip-hop’s original misogynist, or at least the late ‘90s original misogynist? Very possibly. Though he never speaks of violence towards women, the objectification implicit in his rhymes is troublesome at best.
Does Keith’s misogyny, or for that matter, Slayer’s use of violent imagery, impeach their value as artists? It is a serious question that will continue to plague art as long as people like Kool Keith and Slayer are out there on the fringes, swimming upstream, challenging listeners to ask.
You can find the 9:30 Club at 815 V St. NW.
