The Carter Administration

FYI

todd — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:01:36 +0000

This site represents a basic catalog of the career of The Carter Administration, a rock band from Nashville, TN. Formed in 1998, the Carters played their last show in January 2011. During that time they put out a lot of records, played a lot of shows, and generally enjoyed themselves. Stuff will be added to the archives as it’s stumbled upon. If you have recordings, videos, pictures, or anything else concerning the band you’d like to share, bring it on. The contact button works. Meanwhile, check out our new band Century Club.

Happy New Year, New Year’s News

todd — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 01:38:26 +0000

What’s up? Come see us play with Gentleman Divers at Foobar on January 29! Can’t find Gentleman Divers on the internet? Don’t worry, I spelled it right. They’re from America and Mike Shepherd from Apollo Up(!) plays bass. It’s their cd release show. I heard some of it and said, “I like it.”

In other news, this will probably be our last show for a while, while a new thing continues to begin to happen. Requests?

Reveal Yourself, Skeleton Man!

todd — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 20:07:03 +0000

Thanks to all who made it out to hear us play through the big speakers with the bigger compression at Centennial Park Saturday. The kids today love The Carter Administration, am I right? (And by kids I mean specifically the “under six” set.) Speaking of age, how about that weird-ass line-up? Four bands who are still paying the big kids to buy beer for them, and then us? Are they trying to make us look like the Long Players?

Very special thanks to Skeleton Man, who made the day. This dude dressed in a skeleton body suit showed up as we started playing, acted as our hype man in the crowd, and disappeared again when we stopped. Skeleton Man, please tell us who you are. We will give you a shirt, our entire discography, and a 12-pack of Busch. And we’ll play “Skeleton Man” by Frank Black and the Catholics at your wedding.

See you soon,

Todd K.

Come to Dave Cloud’s Backyard BBQ

todd — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 18:50:45 +0000

So when you unroll your pants legs after visiting the “facilities” at Springwater this afternoon, stroll on across the driveway and wipe your feet on the brown, brown grass of Parthenon Yard, our fair city’s tribute to centenarians everywhere. If you follow these instructions exactly to the letter at exactly 5:00, you will be treated to exactly “20 minutes or four songs” (no more, no less) played live and in person by The Carter Administration. Or you could go to Germantown and get drunk outside with impunity, which you can only do on one fine Saturday afternoon in October. Your choice, my friends.

Smoke Weed,

Todd K.

Coldcawk, etc.

todd — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:52:29 +0000

How ’bout that Coldcock show on Saturday, Carter people? Were they good or were we all just bam-boozed by their multi-media blitz? I, for one, can’t wait to go to their cd release party again to find out.

Here’s what’s up with us: First of all, you should probably go to the 5-Spot again this Saturday, where Ryan’s Teenage FBI and Sam’s Warthog plan to stage a “raging taint-shaving” (their words). Secondly, the Carters have eight new songs ready for the next record, the making of which will commence immediately upon us getting our shit together enough to plan something a week in advance. We’ve recorded them live at practice to make sure they’re good, and once we change the key of one and get some words for another, they will be. Those of you at Saturday’s show got to hear one of Sam’s new tunes, which is and was awesome. The rest of the songs eagerly await your speakers. Are you punks ready for the mellow sounds of Carter reggae? Hey Mista Pleecemon to you too,

Todd K

Are You Tired of Listening to Mt. Rockmore for Six Months Already?

todd — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:36:24 +0000

We are too. It was fun while it lasted, but you know us. When we get tired of one song we write two more. And when we do that five times over, we’d better put ‘em to tape ASAP before we move on from there and lose a whole batch. (Incidentally, Ryan and I have been independently going through old boxes of tapes lately, and we’ve both found old Carter songs we’d recorded at practice and played out a few times before completely forgetting about them. They’re good, too. It’s not like we forgot about them because they sucked; they just rotated off the roster before getting a chance to show up on a record. Some of them turn out to be old friends and some of them are strangers, like this one song Ryan sings that he swears I wrote. Maybe we’ll stick some of these never-rans on the site soon.) Anyway, there’s some brand new stuff on the way to both of you fans of The Carters. We’ll be recording our practices for the next two weeks to serve as demos for ten or so new songs, and then we’re off to do them for real. I’ll try to remember to update this site every week to let you know how we’re doing. Tell your sister hello,

Todd K

Yall seen us at Bonnaroo?

todd — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:31:59 +0000

These Boots Are Made For Knockin

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:14:08 +0000

Tight Quarters

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:12:40 +0000

Waiting For A Holiday

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:11:37 +0000

Barely Legal

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:10:36 +0000

Der Camino

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:09:25 +0000

Don’t Go Liftin My Spirits

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:08:15 +0000

Ashland City Limits

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:06:43 +0000

April Showers Bring Sam Powers

todd — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:58:08 +0000

So today’s Whatever-It’s-Called Marathon made me remember that Dean Bratcher got married to Sarah during last year’s marathon, which means that Sam has officially been a Carter for a whole year! I know, I know. It seems like we should have done some more stuff in that amount of time. Give us a break – you probably don’t even have a copy of Mount Rockmore yet, and we’re already recording new stuff this week. Congrats, Sam. If you see him out buy him a Slim Jim. (If you want an actual tactile version of Mount Rockmore, give us an email. We love you, man.)

April comes after March

todd — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:02:12 +0000

Hope everybody who came out to Saturday’s house show to see us play with Swearing at Motorists kicked it as hard as we did. You can catch us next on Friday, April 16, at the 5-Spot with The Whole Fantastic World and Hammertorch. We’re first, so we should be in a damn fine mood.

Don’t have your copy of our new album Mount Rockmore yet? You can stream it from both this site and our bandcamp page. If you like to hold hard copies of recordings in your hands, come to a show and ask us for it. Or send us an email and we’ll do an exchange in the men’s bathroom at the Old Hickory TA rest stop off I-24. Tap three times.

Contact Us

Todd A — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:32:18 +0000

Thanks, and What’s Next?

todd — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:53:15 +0000

Thanks to everybody (especially Tristen and Action!) who came out to the record release show to pick up a copy of our new album Mount Rockmore, which you can stream from both this site and our bandcamp page. Want a physical copy? Find one of us and ask for it.

This Saturday, March 20, we’ll be playing with Swearing at Motorists at a house show in East Nashville. You can find info about tickets and stuff here. We’ll hope to see you there.

Tight Quarters

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:16:26 +0000

Tight Quarters from Lake Fever Sessions on Vimeo.

These Boots Were Made Were Made For Knockin’

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:15:25 +0000

These Boots Were Made For Knockin from Lake Fever Sessions on Vimeo.

The REM Speedwagon

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:14:14 +0000

The Downtymers

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:13:01 +0000

Video shot by our awesome friends at Tugboat Productions.

Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:11:44 +0000

Rebound

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:09:38 +0000

Interview

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:07:20 +0000

VIMBY – The Carter Administration

Don’t You Like My Balls, Ring-a-Ding-Ding

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:06:11 +0000

Complain and Complain and Complain

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:05:04 +0000

Bitchery and Abomination

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:01:54 +0000

Barely Legal

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:00:23 +0000

Barely Legal from Lake Fever Sessions on Vimeo.

Air Guitar Force One

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:54:35 +0000

You Will Not Be Unfamiliar with the Back of my Hand

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:49:37 +0000

U Throw Like A Girl

Todd A — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:43:34 +0000

Don’t You Like My Balls, Ring-a-Ding-Ding

ryan — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:33:30 +0000

Mount Rockmore

ryan — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:29:08 +0000

Our new record is out! You can get one of the limited-edition physical copies from us by email or in person at a show. We’re just too cool to take copies down the street to a store for you. We recorded and mixed these tunes at bassist Andy’s house on a Tascam 1/4 inch 8-track machine with one broken track, analog all the way. We were totally a team of dudes all riding faders and twisting knobs together, performing the mix-downs in real time. Andy did an incredible job, and you should beg him to record your band. Jeremy Ferguson mastered the shit out of it, too. How about the cover illustration by Jonathan Raney, who can make paper look like rocks, and the bad-ass layout by Mandy Willhite, whose fingers are magic on a mouse?

The Songs:

These Boots Are Made for Knockin

Tight Quarters

Waiting for a Holiday

Barely Legal

Der Camino

Don’t Go Liftin My Spirits

Ashland City Limits

Barely Legal

Todd A — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:51:32 +0000

Barely Legal from Lake Fever Sessions on Vimeo.

Videos

Todd A — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:50:06 +0000

Here go some videos

Heart of the City (Nick Lowe)

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:08:10 +0000

Ryan: This is one of our favorite tunes, a song that Todd K and I had talked about covering for years. We finally decided do it for our 10 year bandiversary.

Workin’ for T & A

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:42:24 +0000

A.L.I.M.O.N.Y.

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:41:29 +0000

Pity List ’86

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:40:25 +0000

Complain and Complain and Complain

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:39:41 +0000

Roll Mama Over

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:38:44 +0000

Gunfight at Valentine Saloon

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:33:09 +0000

Belmont Blvd.

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:32:14 +0000

Goin’ Out A-Partying

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:30:28 +0000

Math is Hard

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:25:53 +0000

EZ Duz It

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:24:50 +0000

Betty Ford, Start Packing (The Carters are Coming)

todd — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:00:33 +0000

Featuring background vocals by Mike Anthony, this was our first full-length thing. It was the second recording we made with Dean Bratcher and Sam Powers at what they were calling PBR Studios. The title is verbatim from a 1976 Jimmy Carter campaign button, but the slogan meant something different to us than it did to Rosalynn.

There’s no official version of this record, I think because we couldn’t agree on something at the time. Instead of actually putting it out, we just made a fresh batch of free Carter Administration mixtapes for every show. Depending on who did the duplicating and the length of the blank tapes we had at the time, some of these samplers had more of the “album” than others, and the song order and photo-copied cover art was different every time. Our personal commitment to self-sabotage was indeed “on.”

Gunfight at Valentine Saloon

Carter 8, Chappaquiddick 1

Roll Mama Over

Complain and Complain and Complain

Pity List ’86

A.L.I.M.O.N.Y.

Workin’ for T & A

What’s Next To the Moon? (Young, Young, Scott)

ryan — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:44:57 +0000

Ryan: One of the best songs on one of the best records by one of the best bands, ever.

Starry Eyes (Birch-Wicks)

ryan — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:36:21 +0000

Ryan: This song by the Records is on a Rhino power-pop compilation of the same name. One day our friend Mike Shepherd told Todd K that we should really think about covering it, and we totally agreed. Twelve-string electric courtesy of Mr. Andy Willhite.

The Bomb-Ass Singles

ryan — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:33:52 +0000

Our 10-year retrospective, where we recorded old songs like older people play them now. We did it pretty much live at our bassist Andy’s house. He was the brains behind the cables and speakers and preamps and knobs and stuff. Andy wanted us to call his studio “Safe and Sound,” but the rest of us preferred his original idea: “Flabby Road.”

Keep Your Wife Off My Hands

What’s Next to the Moon?

Bitchery and Abomination

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:23:31 +0000

The title comes from Faulkner, the subject matter from the gutter.

Victory Girls

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:22:48 +0000

Victory Girls b/w Bitchery and Abomination

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:20:25 +0000

Recorded by Andy Willhite at Safe and Sound early in 2009. Analog on 2-inch tape.

Victory Girls

Bitchery and Abomination

All Talk, No Liver

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:05:54 +0000

The Downtymers

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:03:53 +0000

God and Country

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:51:50 +0000

Malcolm & Marr

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:50:24 +0000

Most people seem to think the name of this song is “Track 8.” – Todd K.

Resurrection Blues

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:49:06 +0000

Till the Day I Die

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:48:09 +0000

Trust the Police

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:47:16 +0000

The Wake Up Call

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:44:10 +0000

Home Run Derby

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:43:19 +0000

Worst Mover

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:42:08 +0000

Blackout Brigade

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:37:07 +0000

Ryan: The title for this song came from an article in Modern Drunkard magazine. The high guitar part at the intro reminds me of something Slash would play if both his hands were broken.

Here Comes the Copout

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:30:42 +0000

Another full-length album, recorded by Dean Bratcher at No Budget in 2007. Dean told us he knew what we were supposed to sound like, and he was probably right. As far as we’re concerned, anybody who balances his speakers with Van Halen I can make all of our records.

Le Jeu S’en Fait

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:15:19 +0000

Todd K: The drumming in this one is crazy!

Todd A: Everything about this one is crazy. I remember we consulted with a French “expert” on the title (which is still wrong, by the way). It’s supposed to be: “Les jeux sont faits.” Never trust people who think they know French. Another fun fact, I don’t know French. This is basically an entire song insulting the French language. I should probably apologize for that.

Tons of Trouble

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:13:45 +0000

Do I Still Look Good? (One Smooth Bastard)

todd — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:10:20 +0000

We made this little recording with Dean Bratcher and Sam Powers in 1999, I think. We thought those dudes were old and wondered what they were still doing out at shows. Ten years later, Sam joined the band at Dean’s wedding. I guess they showed us. The cover star here is a man named “Idaho,” and you should probably hear about him from Sam.

Tons of Trouble

Le Jeu S’en Fait

A Kinder, Gentler M*therfucker

Air Guitar Force One

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:58:35 +0000

Ryan: When my good friend Jesse Hamilton and I heard about the Ulitmate Air Guitar Championships, we immediately formed the air guitar duo Air Guitar Force One. Sadly, creative differences drove us apart, and I don’t think either of us has picked up an air guitar since.

Emission: Impossible

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:57:35 +0000

Keep Your Wife Off My Hands

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:56:25 +0000

One of my favorites, but always a song that didn’t seem to come off great live. Now that Sam’s got a part for it, “Keep Your Wife…” is sounding better live than on tape, and will probably become a show staple. - Todd K.

Petty the Fool

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:55:32 +0000

Deuteronomy 3:16

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:51:19 +0000

The title’s an inside joke. The words are based on a story told to me by a really weird judo-fighting anesthesiologist.

Little Kings

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:47:52 +0000

Seasoned Intimidator

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:38:35 +0000

My Dad’s a big sports guy – not watching them, but playing them. His main game is ping-pong, but he plays tennis a few times a week and is a main beach-volleyball and and bocce ball guy. When we’d go to the beach, he’d bring his own volleyball net, and he and another dad would play anybody. He got into the habit of making team T-shirts for the two of them, and one year they had a red cartoon gorilla on the front with the caption “Seasoned Intimidator.” (The back of his shirt read “Maniacal Michael.”)

Oxycontinental

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:37:32 +0000

Heavy Machinery

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:36:49 +0000

Cocaine Summer Splash

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:34:42 +0000

Air Guitar Force One

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:29:54 +0000

Recorded in 2005 at Battletapes, with Jeremy “Fergynuts” Ferguson at the helm. Released somewhat properly by Theory 8 Records.

Cocaine Summer Splash

Keep Your Wife Off My Hands

Emission: Impossible

Air Guitar Force One

Kentucky is Ohio’s Alabama

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:13:48 +0000

Ryan: Title courtesy of Todd K. In all seriousness, Kentucky really IS Ohio’s Alabama. Also, one time when we played this song at the Boardroom – in broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon – Andy fell asleep.

A Kinder, Gentler M*therfucker

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:12:43 +0000

The two versions of this song date from 1999 or early 2000 and 2006, when we remembered that it existed and started playing it again.

Pretend You’re Invisible

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:10:56 +0000

Don’t Mess With Tennessee

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:10:07 +0000

Evil is the Way

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:08:50 +0000

Carter 8, Chappaquiddick 1

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:07:59 +0000

God and Country

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:02:10 +0000

God and Country was being recorded at Todd K.’s house in the summer of 2006, until the DA-38 we were using went on the fritz. We hustled the ailing recording machine over to Battletapes, where our friend Jeremy Ferguson helped us move the salvageable individual tracks to his fancy equipment. He pretty much just let us finish making our own record at his place and then mixed it for us.

The cover star is “Touchdown Jesus,” a 60-foot plaster statue guarding the highway between Dayton and Cincinnati.

Carter 8, Chappaquiddick 1

Evil is the Way

Don’t Mess With Tennessee

Pretend You’re Invisible

A Kinder, Gentler M*therfucker

Kentucky is Ohio’s Alabama

Tomorrow’s Whiskey Today

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:24:25 +0000

54 40s or FIGHT!

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:23:00 +0000

Todd K: Wow, totally forgot there were multiple versions of this song. I definitely think of the Pony Up! one as the real one.

It’s Not Rocket Surgery

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:19:52 +0000

Witchfinder General

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:14:46 +0000

Liquor Store March

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:13:25 +0000

Pony Up!

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:07:03 +0000

Recorded at Southern Engineering (AKA Todd K.’s house) by Todds A. and K. in late 2002 and early 2003. Todd A. had long since quit playing in the band, but he remained one of our main guys. This was the second recording to feature the Ryan/Todd/Andy lineup of the band.

The Bomb-Ass Singles

Liquor Store March

It’s Not Rocket Surgery

Witchfinder General

54 40s or FIGHT!

Tomorrow’s Whiskey Today

Shitmachine

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:05:21 +0000

Ryan: This was the first song I wrote specifically for TCA. Inspired by the literary classic Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders.

U Throw Like a Girl

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:03:14 +0000

Todd A: I wrote this song in 1997 when I lived in London. It was 1 of 1 song that made it back home.

Mike, Your Girlfriend Sucks

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:01:59 +0000

Ryan: I seem to remember recording something like thirty A-chords for the climax of the “Crazy Train” intro.

Don’t You Like My Balls? (Ring-a-Ding-Ding)

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:58:55 +0000

I wrote this song about G.I. Joes. The toys. – Todd A.

Chris Andrews Babies

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:57:09 +0000

The correct title for this is indeed “Chris Andrews Babies” with no apostrophe. These aren’t babies belonging to Chris Andrews, but rather babies who resemble Chris Andrews.

Hot Sexxx Bikini Contest

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:54:13 +0000

The Bomb-Ass Singles

todd — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:41:20 +0000

Two versions: the bad one and the good one. The last time I heard the bad one, I was listening to WRVU in my car. I was so horrified that I called in to the station, introduced myself, and politely asked them to never play it again.