We know how much you love the small, tightly cropped band photos that appear on this site. Heck, we like them too. It makes it much easier to stand back and play that “I am squashing your head” game from Kids In The Hall. But maybe you’re wondering what these bands really look like. Or maybe you just want to check if they’re wearing pants. Whatever your motive, you’re in luck. We now have a Flickr account where you can see more of bands you’ve never heard of. Chiggedy check it out:
I’m surprised it took this long. We’ve been running this blog/music discovery site for a while now, and yet it was only recently that someone brought a glaring omission to our attention: We have never given a geography quiz. Well shit. My bad. Let me get right to that.
This quiz will be formatted with the answers following immediately after the questions, so be sure to cover up the bottom of your computer screen. No reading ahead. If caught, cheaters will have to stand naked in front of the class and compose a freestyle rap about the porno baby from ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’ OK then. Ready? You may begin.
Q: What country has more lakes than all of the rest of the world combined? A: Canada.
Q: Where are the Glorioso Islands located? A: Off the coast of South Africa, near Madagascar.
Q: 11 of the 20 largest cities in Russia, including Moscow, are situated on what river? A: The Volga River.
Q: What is the capital of Papua New Guniea? A: Port Moresby
Bonus Question: Give the names of three totally obscure places in the world (country, state, or city) and name their most important export or domestic product.
Sample Answer: 1. Burkina Faso, a landlocked nation in West Africa. It is the 27th poorest nation in the world, with agriculture representing 32% of its gross domestic product and occupying 80% of the working population. 2. Tenerife, a Spanish island in the Atlantic Ocean. Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. Tourism is the most prominent industry in the Canaries, and it is one of the major tourist destinations in the world. 3. Faroe Islands, a group of islands located between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. Its nearest neighbors are Iceland, Norway, and Scotland. Their most important export is an indie rock group called Boys In A Band.
Boys In A Band describe their sound as Dylan on methamphetamines, but I think they’re just being cheeky. There are definitely some Dylan-esque touches in there, but mostly their sound leans more toward a larger genre trend - young bands from Northern Europe who were raised on American rock n roll. It’s hard to say exactly what cultural filters are at play here, but a lot of these bands are getting the mix just right. Artists like The Flaming Sideburns, The Hives, and now Boys In A Band, seem to have taken some of the best parts of the rock n roll tradition, cooked them in some kind of Nordic incubator, and then unleashed them on the rest of the world. Who knew?
Well, apparently, Boys In A Band knew. With their jangling, celebratory sound they are carving a place for themselves in what is quickly becoming a new tradition of frozen rock music. In doing so they have put the Faroe Islands on the map. Extra credit to anybody else who can find the Faroe Islands on a map.
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