The Silver Sun Pickups

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When we think of all the waves of music we can no doubt pinpoint what part of the country or world it is associated with. During the late 60’s their was the British invasion which turned out, arguable, some of the greatest acts in the last 50 years. In the early 90’s there was the Grunge movement, which many critics dubbed “Seattle Rock” and effectively ended the glam era. When we turn our eyes to L.A. there is no disputing that the area has turned out some great acts as well as spawned a few musical scenes in the process. Most notably the hair metal scene or glam era. Not to say that it didn’t have it’s up’s, but really most everyone associated with that scene either doesn’t remember what happened or would like to forget altogether.

One thing that is certain is that these scenes were created, exploded, and died. One result is a new medium in which artists can create new sub genres and take from what was, for a period of time, a new wave of music. When you descend upon the city of Silverlake California, you don’t notice much of a difference from the rest of the up scale areas of Los Angeles. Just like the rest of the L.A. there are a handful of shops and stores dotting the scenery that have survived the on slot of major businesses moving in, and the occasional Richard Neutra designed home, which looks more like a child inspired fort, then a breakthrough in Modernism architecture. If you didn’t take a little bit of time to stop and smell the rose, the city would be no more then a blip on the radar. What can be said for this city is that fact that it has been turning out some of California’s most brilliant artists for the last 20 years.

To describe it as just a place where the California Indie scene was birthed, and will eventually die, would sell the city short. It does, in its own respect have a separation from North Hollywood and the “L.A. scene” but still shares the same area code with it’s larger counterpart. Locals describe it as a place that has its own off beat sensibility, and really facilitates the Indie music scene. While I was there I got the sense that it was a bit calmer and more low key then the valley, just 20 miles from where I was standing. And when I strolled into The Kitchen, a local sit down, I was instantly transported to the East Village in New York. The motive consisted of deep colors older wooden tables and walls mad of broken brick. The only noticeable difference being that across the room from me was a man in a business suit.

After I was done eating I chatted up some locals and got a real good idea of why so many artists call Silverlake home. From what I was told, It’s a part of the city that at one point fell victim to allot of crime and was considered to be poor in what was relatively an upscale part of L.A. There was always that sense of poverty and struggle, but at the same time the city had an up beat and great side to it. It was almost completely removed from what the world saw L.A. as, and because of that it created its own scene and vibe. It was still California, and that would never change, but it stood on its own. The more time I spend in the city the more I understood how artists like Rilo Kiley, and Moving Units really fit well with what the city had showed me. I felt bad that after the success of SilverSun Pickups and their counterparts, that Silverlake would soon be the next Seattle or new “L.A. scene”. My only reassurance came in the form of a local saying “were all not really in any rush to get out of here”.