Cemetery Gates Media is launching a Kickstarter campaign on September 30th to fund a fully-illustrated book of spooky stories inspired by ’80s and ’90s horror books like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The book, Corpse Cold: New American Folklore, features 17 stories, written by John Brhel and Jo
Rusted Wave — those who released the amazing Wet Hot American Summer soundtrack — recently launched a Kickstarter for a vinyl release of Anthony Marinelli and Brian Banks’s score to the 1988 western, Young Guns. Despite the star power of the film, which starred the likes of Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Dermot Mulroney, the score’s never been released in any format. It’s rather amazing to think about, especially as the 1990 sequel saw not only the release of Alan Silvestri’s score, but an attendant 11-track album by Jon Bon Jovi, titled Blaze of Glory, which was a collection of songs “inspired” by the film.
Read the full interview and preview at Modern Vinyl. Published 9/14/16
Indiana’s Murder By Death has been coming to Lawrence for years — so often, in fact, it sometimes seems like they’re a local artist here in this college town. The group’s been in the news a lot this year, as the Kickstarter for their most recent album, Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon, came in as the third-highest music project ever (right behind Five Iron Frenzy and Amanda Palmer). That album is out now via Chicago’s Bloodshot Records.
On Monday, December 31, the majestic country-tinged indie quintet plays the Granada with Cowboy.Indian.Bear and Y(our) Fri(end). Bassist Matt Armstrong answered some questions about the Kickstarter, as well as playing on New Year’s Eve.
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It’s poppy, it’s punky, but it’s not quite pop-punk. Be My Doppleganger hew close to the power pop end of the rock ‘n’ roll spectrum on these four songs from their forthcoming third LP. Tentatively titled Artless, the band is planning on self-releasing the record this fall.
If Be My Doppleganger is using these four tracks as a way to discern enthusiasm or interest in Artless, I’d like to add a hearty, “yes, please!” The bass work on these cuts is pretty extraordinary, and the production, vocals, and song structure all hearken back to the golden age of ’80s power pop. The Plimsouls, Replacements, Cheap Trick, Smithereens — this is what I’m hearing, especially on “Floor to Shoulder,” which I just want to listen to over and over and over again.
If you want to get behind Artless right fucking now, you can use the Kickstarter the group set up as a way to pre-order. $15 gets you a Kickstarter-only LP color. Seriously, they’ll only press as many as people pledged. You also get a digital download two weeks before the album comes out. And buttons. And stickers. Niiiiiiiice, right? This is Kickstarter done right. Good job, Be My Doppleganger. You got it goin’ on.
You get classic, otherwise unavailable tracks from Coalesce, Botch, and Indecision, as well as some really badass photos on the original comp, then the new collection introduces you to a slew of bands with whom I’m completely unfamiliar. The reissue’s limited to a pressing of 1000, with 333 on colored vinyl (you get that for $65, plus a t-shirt and a poster). For more details about the whole project, check out an interview with compilation organizer Carrie Whitney at the comp’s Tumblr page.
Kickstarter, the popular crowd-sourcing means of project fundraising, might not be all it’s cracked up to be. By no means am I suggesting that the site or the folks behind are crooked – nay, nay, I say. They take a straight 5% off the top, and the rest goes to the folks raising the cash. No, to what I refer is this: there’s a certain negative aspect to raising money that might end up negatively affecting one’s relationship with one’s fans.
The site’s been used to raise money for everything from movies to TV shows to books to records, and it’s in that last category that we’ll be focusing, as well as the negative connotations that Kickstarter is beginning to acquire: namely, that this is a way for bands to get folks to pay for stuff that doesn’t exist, and they’re willing do nearly anything to get your money.
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While we’re usually loathe to plug Kickstarter projects, we do have to get behind them when it means that something cool will come out of it. In this case, it’s a new movie from the folks at Scarum Harum. They made the ever-excellent It Starts With Murder! (coincidentally, just now out on DVD, and not-so-coincidentally featuring me as an extra), and are the brain trust behind the Spook Lights, Lawrence’s B-movie influenced garage rockabilly surf combo.
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Announced just 20 minutes ago, after having been teased for goddamn months: Rocket Heart Records is pressing Ultimate Fakebook‘s debut full-length, Electric Kissing Parties, on vinyl.
Originally released back in 1997 on Lawrence’s Noisome Records, it was later repressed on CD by ReIgnition Recordings in 2003. This is a stellar release, featuring the original (better) versions of “Downstairs (Arena Rock)” and “Far Far Away,” which were re-recorded for the Sony 550 reissue of This Will Be Laughing Week. The vinyl pressing (the first time one of the band’s albums has seen vinyl – the only wax release they ever did was a split with the Stereo) will also feature an unreleased bonus track, “Rocket Heart’s On Fire.”
They’ve set up a Kickstarter page for pre-orders. $19 gets you a copy on black vinyl with a sticker and poster, $20 gets it on red, $35 gets it on both, $40 gets both autographed, and $60 gets you both autographed and and a test pressing.