2009-11-13

Thomas, Kamara; Mahon, Maureen

Maureen Mahon interviews Kamara Thomas during the AAAMC conference, "Reclaiming the Right to Rock: Black Experiences in Rock Music."

Indiana University, Radio and Television Services; McAlpin, Michael

Archives of African American Music and Culture

Bloomington; Indiana; United States

Reclaiming the Right to Rock: Black Experiences in Rock Music

Archives of African American Music and Culture

English

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1 video file (mov, 35 min., 43 sec.) : sound ; color ; 9.44 GB + 1 transcript (6 pages), 1 videocassette (HD miniDV : sound, color)

Kamara Thomas, along with Matt Whyte, is one of the founding members of the band Earl Greyhound. Living and working in New York City, the pair began performing regularly as a duo. All along, they were crafting the sound and songs that would form the foundation for a colossal rock band influenced by the strident English three- and four-pieces of the '70s, the dark pop and heavy grooves of the '90s, and the transcendental, noisy acid sounds of modern rock. The band's first full-length album, Soft Targets , was recorded in Los Angeles and Brooklyn in 2005 and earned the group many fans and critical acclaim from publications including The New Yorker, Spin, Rolling Stone, Brooklyn Vegan , and Pitchfork. Even more so, the band's live show quickly drew heaps of attention and gained a steady reputation among critics and fans alike as a veritable rock-n-roll wrecking ball. Earl Greyhound toured relentlessly for the next two years all over the U.S., Canada, and Japan, and autumn 2007 was spent playing theatres as openers for the band's good friend Shooter Jennings, as well as for Soundgarden and Audioslave's Chris Cornell. In spring 2010 Earl Greyhound released their sophomore album Suspicious Package.

Other: DVF 1028