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About

Description
According to Thao “The album is named Know Better Learn Faster because you can’t,” explains Thao. “By the time you realize you should, it’s too late. And I enjoy the predicament and the totally devastating, unfunny humor of that.”

Thao and the ever-versatile Get Down Stay Down (Adam Thompson on bass, keys and additional guitar, and Willis Thompson on drums and percussion) return with the follow up to their critically lauded and riotously applauded previous album, We Brave Bee Stings and All, the breakout success and best-selling record of 2008 for Kill Rock Stars. With super-producer and friend Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Bill Frisell, Spoon) again at the helm, Know Better Learn Faster perfectly captures the band as their more mature, tastefully raucous, tastefully subdued and musically adventurous selves. Honed, trimmed and tightened over the last year and a half of constant touring, the now-trio delivers Thao’s cleverly crafted and emotionally evocative songs with vibrant, innovative instrumentation, incredible energy and a still-acutely-solid sense of what sounds good. The new batch of songs spans all genres and influences, all the while staying faithful to their distinct style, sharp wit, and the infectious and enamoring exuberance of their renowned live shows.
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Website
Band Members
Willis, Adam and Thao
Influences
what are not, really.
Other Artists
Leonardo, Raphael, Michaelangelo, Donatello, Shredder, BeBop, Rock Steady, the reporter lady.

Profile Comments

Mar 27th, 4:08pm
You're a great artist! I'm looking forward to seeing you again here in Sandy Eggo in a few weeks!
Peace!
- Middle Aged Dude
Jan 11th, 5:36am
your music makes me happy
ty
Nov 11th, 10:51pm Last edited Nov 11th, 10:51pm.
Beat (Health, Life...) is a New World Anthem!

In Memoriam,
Jun 24th, 7:16pm
saw you open for rilo kiley in charleston, sc. i've been hooked since. waiting on the latest album to come in the mail...it's taking too long. thanks for sharing your music!
Jun 2nd, 11:10pm
you guys played an amazing show in columbus ohio
about a month or two ago. loved it.
May 5th, 7:52pm
Can't wait to see ou live @ Paradiso Amsterdam! Great Album
May 2nd, 1:50pm
I see you are doing Paradiso Amsterdam again. Great! Imma definately gonna b there! Last time I has to miss out unfortunately. See you on the 12th of May :)
Apr 24th, 6:34am
Loved you guys live at the Echo in L.A. Have fun in Europe.
Apr 5th, 4:06pm
You guys rock! I love your music.
Feb 28th, 12:04am
thx for adding me. i like ur music alot props
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Upcoming Shows

Blog Posts

blog post WHO KNEW
Category: a ginger finger on the slow pulse
Posted: Jul 29, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Stanley, Idaho was amazing. we do know now.

we all just spent the weekend at the Sawtooth Music festival, playing, river rafting, jumping from bridges (with life jackets, don't worry) and looking for big horned sheep because adam saw one sign that warned of their crossing and became enamored of the idea.

sadly we did not see one.

ALSO all ages shows are incredible and we love nothing more than young tykes coming on stage to play percussion for bag of hammers as they did in Salt Lake City.

why are kids so much cooler to talk to than middle aged dudes, i have my theories...


thank you st. louis for being so much better than we expected. not to say we didn't have expectations. but really. sleeper hit of the season.

two more weeks of tour. we are impatient to see what else happens.

best to you, see you soon, we are hopeful.

thao and the gdsd
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blog post Rilo Kiley wrap up and and upcoming headlining tour
Category: a ginger finger on the slow pulse
Posted: Jun 27, 2008 at 10:53 PM
YALL

long time no post and thus no read. sorry for the lag time but i thought it would make you miss us more.

we have been traipsing the country on the coat tails of a band called Rilo Kiley.

thank you to each and every RK band and crew member for your hospitality and generosity.

additional highlights from tour include:

Asheville, Texas, the adventure spoon we found in a box of Frosted Flakes, the additional (much smaller) headlining shows we had in Atlanta and Chapel Hill and air conditioning.

NEXT UP an almost month long headlining tour across the US where we will be morally and musically supported by friends Horsefeather, Tune-Yards, David Schultz and the Skyline, and Pepi Ginsberg. July 19th-August 14th

please let us try and make music for you.

best
thao and the get down stay down
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blog post Tour de everywhere
Category: a ginger finger on the slow pulse
Posted: Apr 23, 2008 at 2:54 PM
YALL

thank you to much of the United States and select parts of Canada for your warmth and indulgence. We had a fantastic time and came home with nearly everything we started with. In particular but in no particular order: LA, SF, Seattle, PDX, NYC, LUBBOCK, TX, Austin, Chicago, OKC,SLC,

Thank you to labelmates Xiu Xiu for having us along.

NO thank you to the super 8 of Kearny, Nebraska. YOU are the soil on our sheet.

ALSO thanks but no thanks to the people (disproportionately focused in the midwest) who have senses of humor not palatable to tired travelers.

Example:
Thao (at gas station, speaking to attendant): Hi, can I get 50 dollars on number four?

Attendant: NOPE!! ALL OUT OF GAS!! SORRY!!! (attendant and friend laugh heartily. because in truth they are not out of gas. they are a gas station)

In other news- We are leaving soon for 3 weeks in Europe, and then we will haul it to the Sasquatch Festival in Washington, and then we will haul it to join Rilo Kiley on tour. and then we will have nothing left to haul.

see you soon, we are hopeful.

every day is earth day.
thao with the get down stay down


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blog post COLLEGE
Category: a ginger finger on the slow pulse
Posted: Mar 22, 2008 at 7:33 AM
after our show at a vermont college, we were kindly and enthusiastically invited to a dorm party a short distance away. we originally declined, then accepted, then declined, and then realized we'd lost adam to collegiate exuberance and had to go fetch him from the party else wise we'd have no bassist for our next show.


it was what we had feared/ hoped for-- loud music, cramped spaces, a lot of drunk college kids, smoking with little to no ventilation, miller high life, adam drinking from a bottle while "raising the roof" and a security man who broke up festivities about 15 minutes after we arrived.

thank you bennington for the grey goose and the birthday serenade and taking such good care of our Adam.

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blog post going to portland for a haircut
Category: a ginger finger on the slow pulse
Posted: Mar 04, 2008 at 6:20 PM
i am typing but i can't hardly see, i feel like a sheep dog. the bangs are in need of maintenance. which is why we are going to portland.

I go to one place. i have one person. her name is jen. somehow tour always brings us through portland right around the time i start to get a headache from staring out under hair.

the band likes to get haircuts together, at places that serve Miller Highlife at any time of day. we are very supportive of each others' aesthetic efforts.

take for example our last visit to the clip n snip (not the real name, but if i were to open a place you go to be shorn, that's what it would be called):

Thao: this is my hair cut.

Frank: wow, that looks a lot better than the rat's nest you had going on before.

Willis: yeah.

Adam: yeah.

Thao: thanks.

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14 Blog Posts