Rock Star Journalist

Sweet merciful Christ. Another Clash tribute album? Yes,indeedy, and this time for their triple-LP / double-CD epic Sandinista!

Dammit. What asshat dreamed up this idea? And, when I say “asshat”, I mean just that - some idiot with his head so far up his keister that he may as well just have it permanently placed on top of his head, a la chapeau. That is the sort of mind-bogglingly idiotic individual who would decide that world could stand to have its what - fifth, sixth, seventh tribute album since 1999?

There was Burning London, Backlash, City Rockers, Police State, Punk Tribute to the Clash, and the simply-titled The Clash Tribute. Now there’s The Sandinista! Project, and I just don’t get it.

If you took the time and money required to buy all these compilations, you’d have yourself seven cds (technically eight, as the new one is two discs) and probably one cd’s worth of listenable songs. Hell, you’d have both David Lowery projects, several poorly-thought-out hip-hop tracks, and some seriously unlistenable, utterly banal, out-and-out shit.

This is to say nothing of the various tracks that litter other artist’s b-sides comps. Dropkick Murphys‘ Singles Collection Volume 1 has three, fer cryin’ out loud.

So, for the love of god - no mas. Please, I love the band as much as anyone else, but I’d rather see some serious effort into somebody making an official release of Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg. All the original demos that became Combat Rock? Fascinating… with some liner notes and behind-the-scenes photos, it could be even better than Super Black Market.

Download Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg

Coverville’s Clash show.

Taking a series of music classes can help almost anyone improve.

Les Breastfeeders – “Les Matines De Grands Soirs”
(Blow the Fuse)

Les Breastfeeders are a Quebec garage rock band with a serious pop edge. Not overproduced by any stretch of the imagination, but catchy despite a complete language barrier on my part. Every song is in French, and even tho’ I’ve got no idea what the fuck these cats are saying, I’ve given this records more spins than anything that’s come across my desk in months.

It’s like somebody threw a Nuggets compilation, an MC5 documentary, Ray Davies, and a whole lot of late-night shows in tiny, smoky bars into my cd player. It’s a dance party, complete with band, martinis, and a pack of the finest unfiltered cigarettes. It’s your party, kids – and this is the soundtrack.

Robert Moore played two tracks on Sonic Spectrum this past Saturday, which only confirms my belief that these folks are solid. If that man likes it, then it’s a pretty safe bet. They’re playing SXSW, which only goes to show that I will be even more miserable not going this year.

“Tout Va Pour Le Mieux Dans Le Pire Des Mondes“

I discovered Boy Kicks Girl through a post on Audio Galaxy several years back. Like, many years ago, when file-sharing was a new thing and so not illegal yet.

Thankfully, even tho’ they broke up several years back, you can download …or something like that for free. The songs’re amazingly rough and nasty pop-punk. Like, rough in the amazingly off-key vocals and barely-there production, they come across as a band that can barely be called such. However, you take a song like “Denny’s Girl” and it grabs you by the ears and rams itself into your brain.

See (or listen) for yourself.

Track listing:
1. Stand Tall
2. This World
3. Cuntamination
4. Waste Of Time
5. The Grocery Store Song
6. Tune In Tokyo
7. I Still Believe
8. Romper-Stomper
9. Hello?
10. Denny’s Girl
11. Empty
12. Ode To Me
13. Killing You
14. White Riot
15. Stand Taller

Download …or something like that in full here.

Guilty pleasures… interesting term. At the moment, there are songs by bands that I would normally despise that become unlikely favorites when placed in the context of professional wrestling. Now, I hate nu-metal. Can’t stand the shit, aside from the occasional Powerman 5000 track. Limp Bizkit, Korn, Kid Rock… that shit just never really got me going, and the folks who listen to it tend towards the white trash / fat ass / wouldn’t know a good song if it bit them in the ass type. Sorry to generalize, but I calls ‘em as I sees ‘em.

Of course, being as how that’s your average WWE fan, I get stuck with a lot of really awful music as the theme songs to the majority of most WWE pay-per-views. Granted, Rise Against’s “Drones” was used for this year’s Royal Rumble, but cases such as that are the exception, rather than the rule. Every so often, one of those songs manages to sneak past my sense of taste and work its way onto my hard drive.

Cases in point are the bands Saliva and Drowning Pool. Saliva’s “Ladies & Gentlemen” is the theme for Wrestlemania this year, and damn if it doesn’t work like a fucking champ. It’s got the bombast that goes so wonderfully with clips of people getting the snot knocked out of ‘em, and the lyrics fit wrestling to a T. Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” works in the same way. They’re using it as the theme for ECW, and nothing says “bloody barbed wire bat” like like someone screaming about bodies hitting the floor.

Neither song is what you’d call “subtle,” but in the right context, they become something less annoying, and even likeable.

Drowning Pool - “Bodies”
Saliva - “Ladies & Gentlemen” (streaming)

The Time Flys – “Rebels of Babylon”
(Birdman Records)

From the home of psychedelic garage comes the Time Flys with their second record, Rebels of Babylon. By all accounts, their first was better than this, but this is still pretty damn fine. It’s basic three-chord riffage played at a galloping pace, but catchy as all hell. Rockin’, hip-shakin’ goodness that, while it doesn’t dig especially deep lyrically (songs about rock– see “Reality (Is A Rock Band)” and “Dead Rock-n-Rollers”, as well as fightin’ – see “Bronzo’s a Bruizer” and “Romance + Violence”), the band makes up for it in fun.

This was a total surprise to get, by the way. I got an e-mail from David over at Birdman offering to send me a copy of this cd. And, not only did this cd show up, but the “Reality (Is A Rock Band)” single, a Giant Squid 7″ and a Birdman label sampler. The handwritten note was a nice touch, too. The label is having a showcase at Club De Ville the first night of SXSW. Check it out.

“Zodiac Killer’s Son“

Two free albums for your downloading pleasure this Friday. I’m just about snowed into my house, and Lord only knows if I’ll be able to make it out tonight to do my radio show. Both records are totally free and totally legal (surprise!). They’re both a bunch of covers, and they’re pretty damn fun. First up is an indie band making their way up the radio ladder (they’ve made it into spotlight rotation at the local “alternative” station), and second is a ska-punk band that has since passed on.

Cold War Kids
Acoustic At The District

Track Listing:
1. Indoor Fireworks
2. Fast As You Can
3. Die Die Die
4. I Don’t Wanna Grow Up
5. Tonite, You Belong To Me
6. The Littlest Birds

Benefit at the District - We got asked to do a Benefit at the District Lounge in Orange on September 24th with Dustin Kensrue and Chuck Regan. It was through the Breast Cancer Walk that takes place in Costa Mesa the last several years. We decided to play some covers that we like with Nathan singing and playing guitar, Jonnie on the drums, and Maust recording. It’s a pretty informal loose performance but we decided to let you hear it anyway.
Hope you enjoy!

the Arrogant Sons of Bitches
This Is What You Get

Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. 2+2=5
3. Airbag
4. Paranoid Android
5. _______________
6. My Iron Lung
7. Fitter Happier
8. No Surprises
9. _______________
10. Just
11. Exit Music (for a film)
12. Fake Plastic Trees
13. Karma Police
14. Motion Picture Soundtrack
15. ______________
16. True Love Waits

Download the whole thing here.

In 2004, The Arrogant Sons of Bitches played one of those Halloween shows where a bunch of ska bands cover a bunch of different ska bands’ songs. The year before, they had covered a set of Taking Back Sunday songs in traditional ska format to poke some fun at their newly signed friends. In 2004, the decision to up the ante was kind of extreme, and ASOB took on one of those bands that people “aren’t allowed to cover” - the sacred cow of Radiohead.

This live set contains tracks from The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, and Hail To The Thief. It was recorded at the Downtown in Long Island, New York on Halloween 2004. This is one of Long Island’s greatest ska bands at their very best, bringing potentially pretentious music back to its dumb rock and roll roots. This live recording was previously promised to only mailing list fans, but after a virus and a indefinite hiatus, only half got released. But now they’re available to everyone. Enjoy. (courtesy Quote Unquote Records)

Let us discuss labels dropping acts, shall we? The Explosion posted the following message on their MySpace page:

“Hello one and all!

We are writing you from the dead of winter here in Park Slope Brooklyn, with a long over due update about the Explosion and our record, Bury Me Standing. As some of you may know, the record label that we have been working with for the past 3 years, Virgin Records, has decided not to release our new album, and release us from our contract. To some that may be bad news, but to others (who know about the perils of major labels) know that it is not such a bad thing. The good news, is that we have gotten the record back from Virgin, and are in the process of finding a label that may put it out. We will keep you updated. Thanks to all of you who have been writing (over and over again) to find out what is up with the record. We hope to have it out ASAP. Thanks again you all!!!! xoxplsn”

Hmm. Why do all the bands that I’ve liked that have signed to majors gotten dropped? The Blue Meanies, Less Than Jake, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the Suicide Machines… seriously, this shit is ridiculous. I blame the labels for unrealistic expectations. Decent touring numbers and selling 50,000 copies of a record on an indie is good for a band. It equates to a minor success… emphasis on minor.

However, this doesn’t instantly guarantee that the newest major label signing is going to be the next Fall Out Boy. Sometimes, a band has found all the fans that they’re going to, and no loss-leader displays at Best Buy or advertising placement will boost that. You’d think that by this point, your average major would realize that just because you advertise a record more and get a band some better studio time, that it’s not going to instantly equate a sudden jump in record sales.

Still, you see several posts every week over at PunkNews about the latest underground success making their way to a major. Of course, for every single one of those stories, there’s another like the Explosion’s.

Fall Out Boy - “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race“

Gearhead Records has put out some damn fine releases lately, and three of them skated into my hot little hands. Let’s take a look at the latest from garage-punk’s finest label, shall we?

the White Barons - “Up All Night With…”
Female-fronted punk rock ‘n’ roll is the name of the game with the White Barons. The lead singer is named Eva Von Slut. So, yeah, you might say the band’s got a little dirtiness in ‘em. Eva’s voice is an acquired taste, meaning you either like it or hate it. The band is full-on pure rock fury. And while it’s not anything that makes you want to rush out and see what else they’ve done, the band photo on the back of the album has me itching to see this live. I imagine it’d be something like a cross between an L7 / Babes In Toyland show, with the added craziness of your average Gearhead rock ‘n’ roller greaser crowd.

I Walk the Line - “Desolation Street”
Despite the name, I Walk the Line have no affiliation with Johnny Cash or the country genre. They’re more of the Bloody Hollies / Murder City Devils vein of organ-driven spooky rock. Being as how they hail from Finland, the garage leanings aren’t much of a surprise. They certainly like the rock up there in the cold north. Still, the area has a fine pedigree, and while I Walk the Line likes to jump into some ska riffs here and there, it doesn’t do too much to spoil the effect. Modern day rockabilly acts like the Living End feel free to drop some 4/4 time every now and then, so we might as well extend benefit of the doubt to the full-on rock-n-rollers.

the Spunks - “Yellow Fever Blues”
Sweet Jesus, does every Japanese garage act have to be 80% insane? Electric Eel Shock, Guitar Wolf, Gito Gito Hustler - every single one of these bands has this reputation for live shows that are over the top crazy, and albums that just blast through in AC/DC inspired blasts of energy, strung through with half-understood Engrish. Add the Spunks to the list, albeit with a bit of a twist. Their sound has this weird cowpunk edge to it, which makes for an odd mental picture. Japanese guys in leather jackets playing music that sounds like David Allen Coe meets Motorhead? The mind boggles… the cover of “Brand New Cadillac” and Gito Gito Huster’s “Love and Egg Roll” only add to the coolness factor of this release.

I Walk the Line - “Dead Seeds”
the Spunks - “Silly Girl“

Back in December, the University of Kansas‘ student-run radio station KJHK 90.7FM released a compilation entitled Farm Fresh Sounds. The comp was a continuation of a tradition from KJHK’s early days, that being comps that featured the best in what Lawrence and the surrounding area had to offer in music.

The comp was “only available at the release show.” Well, officially. The copies not given away at the show got put up in downtown record stores and sent off to college radio stations across the country. Aaaaaaaaannnnnnndddddddd… you can now download that fucker for free.

Download Farm Fresh Sounds right here.

More stuff from the Spook Lights: “Curvacia’s Theme” and “Turkey Trot.” Look for a record from these garage-surf delinquents later this year.

If you can learn to read sheet music then taking music lessons and practicing will be easier.

Goddamn, kids. The hot news today seems to be the fact that Ozzfest tickets are going to be free this year. The tour, with headliner Ozzy Osbourne the only announced act, will simply try and get their corporate sponsors to pony up a little more dough.

There’s been no announcement as to how fans will get tickets. I’m imagining a lot of radio station giveaways, as well as the inevitable corporate tie-ins - i.e., buy four cases of Pepsi and redeem the UPC codes for entry. It’s really not a bad idea, considering the Warped Tour has been sponsored by Vans shoes for the entirety of its existence. The tie-in sponsorships with things like Yoo-Hoo and Peta have allowed the tour to keep its prices below forty bucks, when Ozzfest’s top-tier tickets went for as much as $150 last year.

Car companies sponsor tours every year, as well as the inevitable cell phone providers. It’s not like this a new thing, since New Found Glory and Blink-182 have both had corporate sponsors to offset touring costs, and even the Innocent, a Christian rock tour was sponsored by Suzuki.

However, the trick for the Osbournes and co. will be to not have the show’s image of it being “fucking metal” (as a friend of mine once put it) lost. If your main stage is sponsored by a beer company, your fans won’t give two flying fucks. Rum? No bid whoop. Mike’s Hard Lemonade? You might have issues… especially if the show is free to fans and those running the tour.

There’s a serious possibility for abuse with sponsorship. There’s no gate to count, or even worry about, so that whole problem is eliminated from any tour rider. Even if the sponsors pay enough to cover tour’s operational costs, I don’t imagine they’ll go past it. And that means this quote from Sharon Osbourne seems a little ominous:

“She added that she didn’t expect bands to ‘tour all summer for nothing,’ but invited them to simply ‘come out and play a date or two. They can sell their T-shirts, CDs and whatever else they’ve got,’ she said.”

Yeeeeeeeeeah… that’s going to result in a good tour. No band’s going to sign up for a tour without any guarantee of gas money unless they’re unestablished. Getting to open for Ozzy plus merch sales sounds like a good idea for a band that’s only sold fifty copies of their demo. However, when you’ve sold 100,000 copies of your latest album and sold out a 1500-seat venue, it probably sounds like a bum deal.

It should be interesting to see how this all turns out.

Ozzy - “Crazy Train”
Ozzy - “No More Tears“

There are many music educational methods but practice is very important no matter what.