Nick Recommends: .hacker

Josh Klinghoffer on tour with the band Warpaint.

.hacker is a band consisting of Josh Klinghoffer on vocals, keys, and guitar (who has worked with big names such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers/John Frusciante, PJ Harvey, The Butthole Surfers, and many more).  Yes, they have other band members, but they aren’t listed on the band’s myspace, nor have I read any information about them on the internet.

Their music is fairly hard to describe, but there is, in my opinion, a Radiohead influence on some songs, and I can hear some Sonic Youth in there too.  Klinghoffer’s vocals are very unique and interesting, but they are different – it may be hard for some of you to get into his songs.  But i assure you, they’re quite good.  They haven’t formally released anything, however:  the only audio of their songs available are from two bootlegs.  The songs have no titles yet, except the one on their myspace, “Secret Handshake”, a beautiful song that I’d call atmospheric, almost; it’s calm and serene in a way that not many songs are these days.

I actually got the pleasure of seeing .hacker at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles back on April 2nd.  It was a fantastic show, and my friends and I talked to Josh a little before and afterwards, and he was very nice.  He also mentioned the fact that they were recording an album and listening to mixes of a few songs in the car before the show, so hopefully that album is released soon.  They haven’t played any shows since then, sadly, so i haven’t gotten a chance to see them again, but i’d definitely jump at a chance to do so.

Links:

Myspace/Live Bootleg #1/Live Bootleg #2

(Live bootlegs thanks to darshun.  Please do not attempt to sell these bootlegs.  They are for FREE.  Totally.  Isn’t that awesome?  And if you ever see anyone trying to sell them, don’t buy them.)

(Photo taken by Amoeba San Francisco.  For more photos of Josh’s old band, warpaint, go to the Emily Kokal Appreciation Page).