First/Last - The Butterscotch Cathedral

"Plenty of great music has been the byproduct of a singular vision; that "man-alone" in the studio producing genius works; Brian Wilson, Curt Boettcher, Pete Townshend have all chained themselves to the mixing console (metaphorically speaking) for the sake of music as something "more". Tuscon, AZ's Matt Rendon know plenty about being the "man-alone" in the studio. Ever since he debuted The Resonars in the early Nineties - a project that started out as a band, dissolved & then just became the fictional "band" identity for Rendon alone - he's produced six albums of Sixties mod-inflected power pop all by himself in his home studio. The Butterscotch Cathedral is the latest album from Rendon & his first project outside of The Resonars since 2004."

The Butterscotch Cathedral is a 'crummy desert psychedelic' band from Tuscon, AR who's debut LP is available now from Trouble in Mind Records. Taking influences from The Beach Boys, Todd Rundgren, The Who and Tame Impala, the music hearkens back to sixties and seventies psych pop while still sounding fresh. I want to thank Matt Rendon (Guitar/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
The first albums I remember buying are The Rolling Stones cassettes on Abkco - Aftermath, Between The Buttons. They were odd in that they switched the A and B sides so when I got the LPs years later, it was a shock not to hear “Flight 505” and “All Sold Out” as lead off tracks.

Your last album bought?
Mono versions of All Summer Long and Shut Down Vol. 2 by the Beach Boys.

Favorite album of all time?
The Who - My Generation.

First concert attended?
Beatlemania at the Tucson Convention Center, 1977.

Last concert?
Saw of Montreal at a festival here in town. I had to cut out the last 15 minutes or so because a band I'm in, Lenguas Largas, was playing the next stage over.

Favorite concert ever?
Guided By Voices in Tempe, AZ on their Under The Bushes tour. At that time musicians were not allowed to drink onstage in Arizona and GBV played extremely loud and pissed off. Pollard almost got into it with a security guy – “Pimple Zoo” was particularly great.

Least favorite concert?
That's a tough question because most of the show I go to are in clubs, if you don't like a band you can get a beer. I probably wouldn't dish out the dough for a show that might disappoint me. I saw a not too great version of the Angry Samoans a few years ago.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
I know that I love Iron City beer and that my former record label, Get Hip, is based there. I'm a big fan of Roberto Clemente and the 70s Steelers defense. I've only been there once and it was a flight layover. I was with my brother Rick and landed really late - a cabbie took us straight to a strip bar when we asked to go somewhere for a beer.

Thanks, Matt. Wow, I cannot imagine a 'sober' GBV playing a show. Now that's a rarity.