Through his ThunderAnt collaborations with Carrie Brownstein or his various SNL skits — recently as Obama — Fred Armisen’s no stranger to Stereogum readers. One extended skit you may not have seen is the short film he made at SXSW ten years ago. It’s generally viewed as his official transition from being the drummer in Chicago punks Trenchmouth to being a comedian who also played drums in Chicago punks Trenchmouth. The plot’s simple: Armisen poses as various journalists (blind, German, mentally challenged, deaf, a college kid from Hofstra, a dude with rabbit teeth and great hair, etc.) and interviews or shouts questions to band folks and industry types including Steve Albini, Janeane Garofalo, members of Pavement, the Aluminum Group, and the Mekons, etc. Plus, Gary Gersh. He also manages to make panels look exciting. We thought it was strange that the footage wasn’t on the web, so we spoke to Fred who kindly sent us the entire shebang to share exclusively with the Internet. Enjoy…
Safety is #1! “I’m not really that familiar with the Beatles.” Albini, you cad. Did you notice who did that camera work? There’s a reason the Mekons interview has a more familiar feel to it.
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 Fred Armisen’s Guide To Music And SXSW 1998 |  Check Out Steve Albini’s Great Reddit Q&A |  See Stephen Malkmus In High School |  Slanted And Enchanted Turns 20 |
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sorry the post was down all day! new system’s still shaky, i guess.
Yeah its still down! Where can I go to see this video?????
It takes a certain type of comedian to kick things off with a borderline-unbearable but definitely offensive impersonation of the mentally handicapped.
This guy should be on TV.
“This guy should be on TV. ” Are you having a laugh?
Great stuff. I wish this was a full-length documentary. I would buy it.
I was trying to decide whether is was more offensive to the mentally challenged or comedy. If you’re going to be offensive, shouldn’t it at least be funny.
Fred is funniest new comedian out there! Thanks for the videos.
Good times. If only Fred had been able to take his camera everywhere he went that year.
haha armisen
I think it should be said that this was just something he made with his friends to have a laugh…This was before he was a comedian (not an “official transition”) and just a drummer, so it may feel awkward but it wasn’t supposed to be an internet video or SNL skit ten years down the road. And if one of my friends made this, I would think it’s amazing.
Actually, he uses these clips during his stand-up routine, which is equally offensive and unbearable to watch.
I think it’s great. Someone should do this every year. Maybe David Cross?
I’ve heard about these videos for years. glad to finally check it out and was thoroughly entertained. he definitely knows how to stay in character. it’s interesting that this is pre-Ali G. Thanks for posting.
THOSE were the real sxsw days! i know i sound old, but when it’s full of reality stars and online gossip columnists i think it’s kind of OVER.
What happened to the link, Im dying to see this video but it doesn’t seem to work