There’s a moment in the making-of documentary of 1999’s Magnolia when director Paul Thomas Anderson, on the cusp of the film’s first shot, says to his cast and crew: “I think we should all unashamedly try and make a great movie. And don’t apologize. Let’s just try to make a really, really, really fantastic movie. Because there’s no shame in that.”
It’s a bold statement! Equally bold: dragging yourself out of bed each morning and doing something—anything—creative. Milwaukee post-rock/power-pop outfit Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends knows that struggle well. The group’s new album, The Way Of The Neutron, is all about, Neutron says, “the pugnacious, not-so-stoic staying power in both the creative fight and in life.” And there’s a video to go along with the first track of that album/fight, too: “Who Dares?” Behold:
“The video is put together entirely at the House of Neutron, filmed in pieces over a boring and somewhat depressing winter before a ton of 2025 activity. You could say that I was sitting on my stool on the sideline spoiling for the fight for months,” Neutron says. “The images are all collected from various videos of strange and cool pieces of art and moments from tour over the years and it seemed a fitting and visually interesting backdrop. Alert viewers might note exhibits from both House on the Rock and Meow Wolf Santa Fe.”
Who are all the cameos? You know, the folks saying “Who?” Glad you asked:
“The ‘WHO?’ is a gang vocal part and the original idea was to have all awesome female frontpeople be the ones saying it,” Neutron says. “There’s Nina Nastasia, Donna Diane of Djunah, Loren Tee of Moon Rebels, Dusty Rose of Shovel, Karen Marie Hernandez of Cosmic Kitten, and Rayyvana…who doesn’t front a band, but is a super cool politics streamer. That was the idea, just the ladies and I, but hey…when somebody as awesome as previous Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends collaborator Eugene Robinson is down for your wild idea, you say ‘yes.’
“Also, Joe Cannon sneaks in there because he’s done time in the Neutron Friends live band and I think Resurrectionists are one of the best bands in Milwaukee,” Neutron adds. “Also, I was at his house and it was easy to shoot.”
To celebrate the release of The Way Of The Neutron, Neutron is going big—REALLY big. An all-day “Wild Antics” show will take over X-Ray Arcade on Sunday, March 30. It’ll feature sets from nine acts, including Chi Chi’s Restaurant, Salvation, Moon Rebels, Resurrectionists, Vile Bees, Mr. Phylzzz, Powerwagon, and Primitive Broadcast Service (oh, and Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends, of course). After that, the group will embark on a Japanese tour from April 1-12, and follow it with a U.S. tour May 15 – June 8.
A new album, a new video, a giant record release show, and a globe-trotting tour? Who dares to do such things? Conan Neutron dares. And there’s no shame in that.
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• Watch the Mark Borchardt-directed video for Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends’ “The Commuter”