What an amazing show. Go! Go!
This is the ultimate indie rock Christmas gift, from them to us.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Hallelujah, manna from heaven!
What an amazing show. Go! Go!
This is the ultimate indie rock Christmas gift, from them to us.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Lousy video
Lousy Robot is trying to get on TV. They will be on TV. If you vote for the video, they get to stay on TV. It's a bit dark for the computer screen, but it's minimal and cool. Check it and vote for it. The Robots thank you.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
It's not nearly over....
Still going strong, five bands in, there's still more to come. Though good things are happening in Dallas, there's still time to com eup to Hailey's and see Starlight Mints, Pleasant Grove, and more...A Spune Christmas...
Hailey's
Denton
now.
More photos very very soon.
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And now the show is done, so click the Flash Flickr badge in the sidebar to see all the photos from the Spune Christmas of 2006. Merry, merry.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Spune-ing for Xmas
Today... 12/7... Denton... Hailey's... 4pmRed Monroe
Record Hop
Baboon
Pleasant Grove
Starlight Mints
and more...
Red Monroe almost won a Grammy (nomination), that's good enough to show up early in Denton.
Your holiday season begins today.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
May SQH's days be merry and BRIGHT!
And now I'm reposting things from other people's blog comments, and that's just plain sad. But this is worth knowing, and worth contributing to, so hop on by the Secret Headquarters Denton MySpace and make 'em merry and warm. And the CD they are offering is worth a PayPal dime or two. (I think they mean Denton "Cohesion" despite their typing dyslexia.)
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Hey, here's a message from Secret Headquarters in Denton that is, like, TOTALLY on topic!
Yes, YOU can be a hero. You know how we at SHQ are in the habit of opening our doors three times a week to you for FREE so you can have fun and act weird? Well, it turns out the electric company doesn't take "being laid back" as payment.
It would be VERY kind of you, and we would appreciate you so much, if you could swing by our myspace to donate a buck or five or twenty. There's a paypal link on the LEFT of the main page. Seriously. It's not hard, and it would help an artistic community kep providing you with CHEAP/FREE entertainment and "stuff".
Please check out our calender while you are over there. We have some CRAZY good shows coming up.
BONUS: If you donate today, we'll give you a FREE Denton Chesion Holiday CD featuring both the profane and sacred sounds of jetscreamer, shiny around the edges, pinebox serenade and PLENTY of others...
So... Thanks! and remember... I'm actually sort of begging here, because they's gonna turn our shit OFF!!!!!!!!!
Love you,
SHQ
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Hey, here's a message from Secret Headquarters in Denton that is, like, TOTALLY on topic!
Yes, YOU can be a hero. You know how we at SHQ are in the habit of opening our doors three times a week to you for FREE so you can have fun and act weird? Well, it turns out the electric company doesn't take "being laid back" as payment.
It would be VERY kind of you, and we would appreciate you so much, if you could swing by our myspace to donate a buck or five or twenty. There's a paypal link on the LEFT of the main page. Seriously. It's not hard, and it would help an artistic community kep providing you with CHEAP/FREE entertainment and "stuff".
Please check out our calender while you are over there. We have some CRAZY good shows coming up.
BONUS: If you donate today, we'll give you a FREE Denton Chesion Holiday CD featuring both the profane and sacred sounds of jetscreamer, shiny around the edges, pinebox serenade and PLENTY of others...
So... Thanks! and remember... I'm actually sort of begging here, because they's gonna turn our shit OFF!!!!!!!!!
Love you,
SHQ
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
5 posts about last weekend: #1 ArtCon2 setup
ArtCon2 120106 003
Originally uploaded by Kate Mackley.
1. Thursday... Art Conspiracy 2 setup
8:30am and it's sleeting and wintry and I'm not yet awake, and White Rock Coffee has the best pumpkin spice latte in Dallas. Driving past SouthSide Lamar, under dripping bridges into unknown territory, I haul shopping bags of sticky magnets, scissors, and giant contact sheets of photos into the barn of the unheated Longhorn Ballroom. ugh. There's a reason I'm no longer a Northerner, and it's winter. I shiver uncontrollably when it's below fifty out; below 30 is misery. Below 30 and raining? ugh. But seriously, the roads were fine. I'm enough of a Yankee not to be able to bitch about a few icy potholes. My latte and stuff in place, I got to cutting and cutting and cutting my photo collage together. Thanks to Erica Felicella's girl scout preparedness with materials, I actually finished my piece in close to the allotted three hours. OK, it took five, but I chatted some. To warm up. (D- your Creative Memories comments were little appreciated.) Frank Campagna was in and out in twenty minutes (ugh. I'm freezing here!); Jayme Nourallah sitting on cold, bare concrete was dedication in action; Sarah Jane ran about mumbling about breakers, and Erica, Cari, Andrea, and Jason were flitting, getting it all in order and to keep warm, I'm sure. By 1pm, the organizers no longer outnumbered the artists, and I left with the uncomfortable feeling I could have made my piece better, or at least differently. I have lots of ideas for next year, anyway. I couldn't have cut another square; the blisters would have bled.
5 posts about last weekend: #2 ArtCon2 event
ArtCon2 120106 070
Originally uploaded by Kate Mackley.
2. Friday... ArtCon show
The Longhorn Ballroom's not hard to find. Head past the warehouses and train tracks on Industrial and look for a 50-foot fiberglass bull, with horns long enough to skewer a semi. The U-Haul demolished entry hauled away, it was easier to figure out where in the Disney-land Country kitsch façade of the Ballroom was the entrance to ArtCon. That and all the seriously out-of-place hipsters filing in the door. Wagon wheels and magenta hair just don't mesh.
The room is giant, football-field big. My piece wasn't where I left it, and thankfully it had sold before I even arrived. I wouldn't have done well watching the auction. Thank you Andrea, for buying it. It's so cool that it'll hang in the house of a friend. That keeps it within "the family", which is the pervading feeling of ArtCon… a family of the Dallas art community. The art ran the gamut of student and amateur (um, that's me) produced to the polished professional of artists such as Cabe Booth, Jennifer Morgan, and Jeff Stachowski. Bids may begin at $20, but the art is far more valuable than that, both in materials and in sentiment. That Art Conspiracy raised only $9000 proves that it ain't about the money, though all of that goes directly back to the art community supporting the event in sponsorship of La Reunion. A friend took a good long look around the room and said, "I had no idea. No idea that there were so many creative people in Dallas." Join the family.
More Art Conspiracy 1 & 2 photos here.
5 posts about last weekend: #3: The Chem Set and Valentines at Sons
3. Friday later... The Cavern
ArtCon finished early, around 11pm after the pinnacle of Salim Nourallah's set. I was going to head out early, but the thought of missing The Polaroids – Salim's all-star team of Daniel Hopkins, Chris Holt, Eric Neal, and Chris Carmicheal – would have been a crime. They don't get to play together that often, considering how many musical projects the players work in separately.
But after the great show I wasn't ready for bed, and at 11pm, it was late to head over to Barley to see Jayson Bales (I think my penchant for his non-twanging roots is abundantly clear) and the Transcenders, so I managed to get thoroughly lost in downtown and just barely make The Chemistry Set's set at The Cavern. Plus The Valentines were playing, and I'd been a fan of that band since their interview killed dconstruction.org. Not actually because they ended Robert and Lindsay's drunken opining; I love any band with that much energy and talent. I'm dying for a Valentines CD, but after a break-in at their Houston producer's studio (serves you damned right for recording in Houston: two words... "Stuart" "Sikes"… I have other words if those don't fit… call me) and the loss of the masters, I guess I have to wait a bit longer. Their merch table was conspicuously empty at The Cavern.
So, Chem Set and Valentines; John Solis at Method Entertainment is a booker I can happily support. Solis has got an ear for talent. Method, Callithump, Listening To:, the stellar Spune … we have it good in Dallas… great people putting on great shows. The Chemistry Set blow me away each time I see them, they are solid, and when they get pushed a little, such as with a crowd-required encore on Friday night, Stephen Duncan goes ballistic on his guitar and gets his rawk on.
More Valentines photos here.
5 posts about last weekend: #4 Tony Bones benefit at Kettle
4. Saturday... Tony Bones benefit show at Kettle Arts
So, you know a kid, and he's a little unruly at school, drawing all over the desks and stuff, then he gets to be a rebellious teenager and he's tagging walls and doors with his alias and some stick-figures. What's a good Dallasite to do? Throw him in jail! Ban him from leaving the city! (huh? OK, that punishment makes zero sense to me… you're a miscreant, therefore we don't want you to leave. Uh, all riiiighttt…) DPS catches the thug in a city-wide round-up and then slaps community service on him! Good for you: go make him beautify something, by painting it with his art! What? Well, despite Dallas' well-meaning but contradictory justice system, Tony Bones is a semi-free man today. And we're so glad of it. I love that he can't leave. Please stay. I have a wall on my house you can "tag", in fact, you're welcome to my fridge, garage door, sidewalk, whatever. Please, please. And thanks… especially to your mom, for buying my photo. That made my night (week, month).
5 posts about last weekend: #5 Reunion Tower Review at Sons
5. Saturday later... Reunion Tower Review.
Two art pieces sold in two days and I was walking on air, trying to get to Sons of Hermann Hall (read more about Sons here) before the night of the musicians I've affectionately tagged "the Barley crowd" is over. Why Barley? Because on any given night – weeknight, weekend, holiday, afternoon, just kidding – you can find at least one of them hanging the Barley House if they aren't actually playing a set there. Carter Albrecht, Salim Nourallah, Jen Nabb, Trey Johnson, Chris Holt, Don Cento, Danny Balis, Solly, Peter Schmidt, Kim Pendleton, the Shibboleth guys and an amazing bluesman Bobby Patterson play Sons in a musical songswap/cover greatness show. Chris Holt and Jen Nabb cover Meatloaf in the best of the night; man, that was brilliant. I missed the earlier Shibboleth goodness that Robert Wilonsky raves about… and posts. Hal Samples took photos. Other friends hang. Lovely, lovely and I just soaked in it all. I love the music scene… look in the sidebar of this blog for the photos. It's good to be here, with friends.
Monday, December 04, 2006
ZCFMCD
Yes, it's a repost from the Zac Crain for Mayor MySpace, BUT this double CD is worth noting because it's so amazingly great. There aren't adjectives enough to gush about it. When we can buy it, I'll link to it again, but for right now, we just have to chomp at the bit and wait.
ZfM Benefit CD coming soon! Plus: December happenings
With any luck, we'll have the Zac Crain for Mayor benefit CD in stores and online by the end of the month. It will truly be a win-win for all involved -- you get 32 great tracks for a reasonable price; I get some financial support as I take on a heaping handful of candidates with pockets deeper than Barry White's voice.
To whet your appetite, here is the approximate track list. Might be a mistake or two as far as the sequence.
Disc 1
1. Fishboy, "The Ballad of Zac Crain"
2. The Crash That Took Me, "Julianne" (this is Dylan Silvers and Beau Wagener from [DARYL] plus others.)
3. Philip E. Karnats, "When the Stereo Broke Its Back"
4. Pleasant Grove, "Luzern"
5. Centro-matic, "Atlanta"
6. The Paper Chase, "Oh! The Horror! The Horror!"
7. Pikahsso, "God for a Day"
8. Shanghai 5, "Love is a Racket"
9. Here, In Arms, "Darling"
10. Smile Smile, "Taking its Toll"
11. Sorta, "Grown Man"
12. I Love Math, "These Paper Walls"
13. The Dutch Treats, "My Bionic Hand"
14. Dove Hunter, "What Turns Inside"
15. Red Monroe, "Our Love"
16. Tim DeLaughter, "Winter Wonder Slumber" (aka "of the Polyphonic Spree")
Disc 2
1. Shibboleth, "Pokky Pokky"
2. Ben Kweller, "Magic"
3. American Werewolf Academy, "Summer Ship"
4. Rhett Miller, "She Loves the Sunset"
5. Voot Cha Index, "Japan"
6. J.D. Whittenburg, "The Secrets That I Keep"
7. Radiant*, "That Girl"
8. Salim Nourallah, "It's My Dream"
9. Hydroponic Sound System, "Lone Star Uprising"
10. John Dufilho with Robert Schneider (of Apples in Stereo), "I'm Jinxed"
11. Saboteur, "Bitchin' Into Oblivion"
12. Pilotdrift, "...you know the world is wonderful" (ooooo ... new Pilotdrift!)
13. Olospo, "You Deserve Better"
14. Rose County Fair, "Midnight on the M Streets"
15. Hardin Sweaty and the Ready to Go, "The Fall"
16. Dave Little, "Zac Crain Ain't No Laura Miller"
We're hoping to have them ready for the benefit gig at Club Dada on December 30, a bill that features Sorta, The Crash That Took Me, an acoustic set from The Paper Chase, and Hardin Sweaty and the Ready to Go. Be on the lookout for an advance preview of selected tracks from the disc in the extremely near future. (this is a FUN bill. Forget New Years Eve - go to this!)
For more December happenings, go here. And, as always, remember to vote on May 12, 2007.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
The Hourly Radio @ CD World
The Hourly Radio will be playing an instore/acoustic-ish thing on Saturday @ CD WORLD in Addison... but they say they don't really know how to play their songs on acoustic so it will be interesting... 3:30pm w/STITCH! MC. Then catch them at Gypsy on 12/16 with Baboon before they hit the road for "basically all of 2007." Baboon and Hourly? A great combo, but Hourly acoustic? Heh, that I gotta hear; the Dallas Brit-pop rockers acoustic are a bit like seeing The Killers acoustic... not their usual sound. Having been nearly constantly on tour the last six months has given them tons of experience and it's bound to show on Saturday. Listen for good things to happen to these guys beyond the borders of Texas in the near future. Then, like the Secret Machines, we can say we knew 'em when.
The Hourly Radio
at CD World in Addison
5000 Belt Line Rd # 310, Dallas, 75254
3:30pm
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Ian Moore returns to Bend
Ian Moore was the first musician to play at Ally David's Bend Studio. You can thank him for kicking off his shoes and kicking off the wonderful listening room that is Bend. Yoga and Ian Moore and patchouli combine so well. Don't forget your best red wine, and be sure to get a seat down front. I can't make it because I'm committed elsewhere, so please, tell him Kate says "hi!"
the brilliant Ian Moore
at Bend Studio
Dec 1st, doors 7:30pm
$20, corking fee $3. Bring $$ for the live recording. You'll want to remember this show.
My original interview with Ian Moore at Bend during his first performance. Go read.
Too busy to write my own post
But, then, Sarah Jane Semrad does a very nice job of stating the facts...
see you there. My contribution? Let's just say, it's quite magnetic.
The Art Conspiracy at the Longhorn Ballroom
150 (170!) artists // 5 bands // 1 very large fiberglass longhorn
On November 30, 2006, one-hundred fifty+ artists will descend upon
the legendary Longhorn Ballroom, located at 216 Corinth @ Industrial
to create one-of-a-kind artworks, all based upon 18inx18in plywood squares.
~On Friday, December 1, 2006 at 7:00PM, the doors finally open to the public~.
$10.00 per person admission at the door.
~Art for sale between band sets by donation system only~
Minimum $20.00 requested donation for artwork. Cash or check only.
Mediators available to handle on-the-spot auctions and drama.
Live music provided by
The Happy Bullets
Spitfire Tumbleweeds (click the link, just to see the art. beautyous!)
Peter Schmidt and His Gentleman Scholars
Fishboy
Salim Nourallah
between sets and before the show: John Holiday and Dj Stephen R!!
video installation by Edward Ruiz, Robert Moreno, Robert McCollum, and Kris Youmans
Free, secure parking available and most importantly,
All proceeds will be donated to the La Reunion, a non-profit artist residency program forming in Oak Cliff.
see you there?!
Jason Roberts
Andrea Roberts
Cari Weinberg
Tim Ruble
Shea Wood
Courtney Miles
Josh McKibben
Rhett Jones
Sarah Jane Semrad
www.artconspiracy.org
and me, Kate!
*awesome painting above by cathey miller*
No Bones about it
A large print of a photograph of Annie Benjamin (Glitter Horn, Rocket Girl) will be offered for sale in the ONE day Kettle Art show benefitting artist Tony Bones on 12/2/06. Tony Bones (aka Soler, aka Goya) has legal fees and fines because he is a tagger and street artist. Dallas is a more vibrant city because his work pops up in unexpected locations (like Lake Highlands). Please support a fellow artist and come to the show...
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
If there were 3 of me... I would be at....
About once a month, there is a Saturday that is packed with too many good shows. December 15th is that kind of day. Here are my RIYLs for not staying home and watching TiVO yet again. It's repeat season, get out and be merry.
The Lord Henry at The Cavern (pretty people dance rock)
Jayson Bales at Barley House (great guys Americana)
Millicent Friendly at Sons of Hermann Hall (straight up rock your socks)
Go see/hear/cheer.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Welcome, Derringer!
I met Jeremy Owens on New Years Eve 2004. He is good friends with Pilotdrift, and had made the trip from Nashville to see them at Good Records' instore and then later at Trees. His voice is on my recording of their interview that night backstage, as they prepared for the show. He's an amazing guy, a study in contrasts, and a heart bigger than his frame. He says he has a "golden retriever personality"; truer words were never spoken. He has done A&R for a small label, written for Revelant Magazine, and he also writes a wonderful New Music newsletter which he sends to friends. I think he needs to have a wider audience. I met Mute Math and Athlete because of his insistance. I would know about many more up and coming bands if I had the patience (of a saint) as he does to comb through the hundreds of MySpace pages as he does, but I don't, so I let his newsletter keep me informed. Now you can, as well.
Welcome Derringer!
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A BIG HELLO! to all of my music loving/music industry readers,
Please grab a cup of something warm... hot tea, coffee, etc... and cuddle into some exciting new music.... this is a bit long due to lots of news, but it's all rewarding...I promise....
First off, I just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who read this!! You read about and check out the artists I pass your way, and respond with constant enthusiasm and encouragement to keep trucking on because you appreciate the passion and quality that I strive to send your way every time. This is TRULY PASSION at its rawest state... do you know how many mornings I go into work drained from staying up at night to keep up with all the influx of band requests on MySpace, to listen to all the upcoming samples I can find on current bands with new albums? It's all in order to be at the forefront with the hottest news and the hottest bands. The idea is that I siphon thru all the crap and give you only THE BEST so you don't have to... I get NO PAY for this... it's how serious I am about it. I wouldn't have it ANY OTHER WAY! Of course, sometimes I rely on other music sources as well... great sites like Pitchfork whom I don't always agree with, but I do always think are on top of the hottest news and such....and do a damn fine job with the setup of their site...you will find a link to a marching band covering Radiohead below and it's all thanks to Pitchfork...
It's been almost three years now since I took a risk with some email addresses I came across in the music industry in Nashville and did a STUPID, STUPID thing of sending out *cough* some very informal music newsletters (i.e. Spam, although it wasn't computer generated, it was sent out by me personally and still is) as a test to see if I would get tons of hate mail saying, "I hate getting this stuff, stop it, please" or if in fact, I would get positive feedback...well, the latter happened... and those first few were based around that little UK band that could named ATHLETE ... and now look at those terrific, talented guys... on the brink of album number three in the new year (I've got good word from two prominent sources that I'm gonna freak over the new stuff....how dare they tease me in such ways...I fidget daily with anticipation for the pre-release). My readership grows by the day and it just thrills me to continue this journey. As always, if any of you ever get tired of getting this, please DO NOT hesitate to tell me to remove you... I will do so ASAP... on the other hand, if you LOVE getting this, then please pass it on to friends and help these deserving artists get their music out there.....okay enough of that... let's get on to the news... as I said before, you might want to grab a cup of coffee cause there is alot to catch up on and I'll try to make these brief...
This week's SPOTLIGHT album to potentially spend your money on... (and oh my god, it's a major label release *GASP*)
BRAND NEW - THE DEVIL AND GOD ARE RAGING INSIDE ME I've yet to hear the whole thing because MySpace player is crapping out on me a ton, but what few songs I've made it thru are ABSOLUTELY STRIKING! This is the soundtrack to my life in many ways... it is a masterpiece that seemingly pins down into one album the struggles of an individual who grew up in a background of religion and church and such and growing out of following what you were always told and striking out to find and establish what the "truth" really is.... the rock is MASSIVE... the delivery is not conventional or contrived...it's personal and universal all at once... this is the album that will take BRAND NEW to a stunning new level!!!!!!
This week's CHRISTMAS album to beat ALL Christmas albums:
Okay, yeah, you are thinking Sufjan... but it's not. Whereas, I have my copy of Sufjan's Christmas album on its way to my mailbox and hopeto enjoy it... the album I'm REALLY looking forward to wearing out this holiday season is OVER THE RHINE'S second holiday offering...this time it is ALL original tunes and strikingly so... it is very simple yet still wondrous.... Karin stands head and shoulders over many female artists to rank as my favorite EVER... she is so versatile and so in tune with the emotion of each song she delivers... she becomes the character, she becomes the lyric... and Linford is a hero of mine both in poetry and in songwriter...SNOW ANGELS is the new album and you should definitely PRE-ORDER it here today...
Now on to more music bullets.... Derringer stands with his gun at the ready... aim... FIRE!
1) AIR (arguably my favorite band in the world) is releasing a NEWALBUM in the NEW YEAR! Can 2007 get any better? (Athlete, Air, and dammit, Travis, please get that new one to us soon as well) It is produced by Nigel "I gravel at your feet" Godrich. It features some Japanese instrument dabbling and more... It launches sometime early in2007 and they will tour US in May (I WILL finally see them live for the first time even if I have to pay out the wazoo...haha)
2) Johnny Lloyd Rollins - *he's posted new songs!*The first artist signed to my Derringer Record label... wait no, the artist that WOULD be my first signee IF I owned a record label is poised to make a huge splash by 2007. Meetings are happening with majors, and majors are showing serious interest. I predict a massive bidding war and the one who lands the deal with him WILL NOT BE SORRY! Mark my words. His album is getting NOTHING BUT GLOWING and FLAWLESS reviews from the gradual influx of music websites and magazines. Still no release date for LET'S BE POOR TOGETHER but you can guarantee when it does hit... it's gonna break some records... it's AMAZING...Johnny has just been featured singing a ditty on a hilarious new commercial for COMCAST... check it out here...
3) Derek James - Speaking of commercials... Derek James and I have been getting many emails in response to a bit that was running on the Travel Channel...it featured his song Smoky Light and had his name and song listed in corner of commercial...thus leading to an influx of emails saying "I remember you writing about Derek way back when...I saw him on a commercial tonight...Loved his song!!" Derek is working on putting together a new EP with some massive hit potential... many of the song she has been performing to tremendous response at live shows and he needs to get on cd due to hot demand... "Like A Woman" is a destined hit and I can already see it landing on a female targeted commercial or two in the future as well... Additionally, Derek has been really encouraging about some of my own music ideas lately and is showing an interest in working together on some things which I truly look forward to. His commercial is here...
4) Some AMAZING new videos are currently out that DEMAND YOUR ATTENTION...namely BOMBS by Faithless. It is a song of huge emotional impact with lyrical fire that torches the soul and comforts it all at once. It is alternately inspiring and convicting. The video enhances the impact with contrasting images that are creatively woven together and it is an experience that will pin you to your chair... it is best viewed at this link but if your computer does not handle that one...then you can always rely on the YouTube link... Both song and video have landed on my ongoing BEST OF 2007 LIST on my own MySpace page Additionally, THE FORMAT have given us a unique and very low budget gem of a video for the glorious tune, DOG PROBLEMS go here ...
5) Radiohead covered by University of Arizona marching band! This was featured on Pitchfork Media and this is AWESOME!!!!
6) New artists worth keeping your hawk eyes on...
a) Meiko - The girl can sing... amazing vocal... if she can keep pumping out songs as loveable as PIANO SONG and the others...she's gonna do REAL well...
b) Walter Meego - THANK YOU INSOUND for my new addiction and what is currently ranking as my favorite tune of the year... I am listening to this as Hot Chip likes to say "over and over".... I am eager to buy an album and see them live... this group makes the wonderful Hot Chip sound weak.... hahaha... and HC is NOT weak at all, but Walter Meego brings the catchiness and infectiousness in waves...I became an immediate fan!
c) Sparrow House (aka keyboardist from VOXTROT) I am pleased to announce that the keyboardist from VOXTROT has delivered a gorgeous debut EP under the moniker, Sparrow House. It isa quiet gentle work but with plenty of melodic intrigue and lyrical grabbing to keep the listener interested. (And if you haven't heard the new Voxtrot EP then you should and DEFINATELY listen to the spectacular track, SWAY...it is my new favorite autumn song)
d) EDDYFINK I sent out an email previously about these stunning rockers that are just getting warmed up for the major leagues. If you haven't listened to them yet, please do so...I'm convinced that between the amazing musicianship and the masterful wordplay along with the arc and range of vocal inside the sexy lead singer, Andy Pisanu, this band isTHE next big UK phenomenon. If I were to label them, I'd have to officiate a new genre.. "Corkscrew Rock"... you'll never expect the places they take you...
e) FELL CITY GIRL New UK band worth watching... I'm especially keen on their song, February Snow... though the other tunes on their MySpace fail to equal that stunner of a tune, I think they are capable of more grandeur...
7) Existing artists/bands that I've finally arrived at on my musical map (and shamefully, WAY too late)
a) THE BOXER REBELLION I'm tuned into this band thanks to Andy of Eddyfink... WHY IS THIS BAND STILL STRUGGLING? they should be massive... check out tunes like WATERMELLON and WORLD WITHOUT END... and you'll understand why...
b) Ron Sexsmith and Martha Wainwright.... shame on me for waiting so long to dive into these AMAZING artists... thanks again to Andy for pushing me into their pools of perfection... I was walking the streets of New York with rivers coming out my eyes due to Sexsmith's "God Loves Everyone" and "Gold In Them Hills"....
and FINALLY... If you have stuck with me and gotten this far... THANK YOU!!!
My best friend/buddy, Stukenberg, has been busy working on a some material for what will be his debut album... He moved to be back around his family and girlfriend in Wisconsin about the time that I moved to New York and I miss him like crazy... but his move, like mine, has proven fruitful and successful as he is working at a small upstart label there in his area and the label is SUPER EXCITED to help him with his debut...He has posted two new demos which are striking in their potential..."Senses" and especially "Don't Mind" which gushes out of the gate with the spunk of an early firestorming Billy Joel... yes, they still need a little polish but Stuk assures that these are only demos and they are enough to get me excited.... hope you enjoy!
I want to give a shout out to INSOUND... they are an online store where I've begun buying all my cds ... they offer reasonable prices and much like my favorite indie store in Nashville, Grimeys...they are GREAT about offering EXTRA goodies with purchases that you wouldn't get at major retail outlets.... plus they send outMP3's every week from the hottest up and comers in indie music...thus how I heard my latest obsession WALTER MEEGO... so if you want to make shopping easier... go to their page... and NO, this NOT a plugging of them because they want me to... I am not getting any kickback or anything... it's a personal recommendation that I feel compelled to let the world in on...
Be sure and vote for the PLUG Indie Awards here... and in the blank at the end where it asks who is criminally missing from the nominations...I'm trying to stir up a revolution and get people to put THE FORMAT... they are a deserving band who have kicked back from getting dropped from the MAJORS and produced an AMAZING album that should be recognized and awarded by the Indie community... it is the only Indie album in my running BEST OF 2007 LIST that is missing from the nominations....
For all the latest personal blogging updates and indie artists I find worth shouting about... always visit my MySpace page... you are ALWAYS welcome to the state of Derringer and it's visiting station... found here.... , but if you are a reader of this, then thou shalt NOT FEAR because you will ALWAYS get the same quality updates here too... and maybe more....
As a bonus for being a reader, I want to forward all of you something special that came into my email inbox via the masterful music blogger and online radio guy, GORILLA VS BEAR...the back story is in the email... READ IT... it's very interesting and then listen to the song... you will love it... I PROMISE....
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!
hugs from the state of DERRINGER,
Jer
Welcome Derringer!
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A BIG HELLO! to all of my music loving/music industry readers,
Please grab a cup of something warm... hot tea, coffee, etc... and cuddle into some exciting new music.... this is a bit long due to lots of news, but it's all rewarding...I promise....
First off, I just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who read this!! You read about and check out the artists I pass your way, and respond with constant enthusiasm and encouragement to keep trucking on because you appreciate the passion and quality that I strive to send your way every time. This is TRULY PASSION at its rawest state... do you know how many mornings I go into work drained from staying up at night to keep up with all the influx of band requests on MySpace, to listen to all the upcoming samples I can find on current bands with new albums? It's all in order to be at the forefront with the hottest news and the hottest bands. The idea is that I siphon thru all the crap and give you only THE BEST so you don't have to... I get NO PAY for this... it's how serious I am about it. I wouldn't have it ANY OTHER WAY! Of course, sometimes I rely on other music sources as well... great sites like Pitchfork whom I don't always agree with, but I do always think are on top of the hottest news and such....and do a damn fine job with the setup of their site...you will find a link to a marching band covering Radiohead below and it's all thanks to Pitchfork...
It's been almost three years now since I took a risk with some email addresses I came across in the music industry in Nashville and did a STUPID, STUPID thing of sending out *cough* some very informal music newsletters (i.e. Spam, although it wasn't computer generated, it was sent out by me personally and still is) as a test to see if I would get tons of hate mail saying, "I hate getting this stuff, stop it, please" or if in fact, I would get positive feedback...well, the latter happened... and those first few were based around that little UK band that could named ATHLETE ... and now look at those terrific, talented guys... on the brink of album number three in the new year (I've got good word from two prominent sources that I'm gonna freak over the new stuff....how dare they tease me in such ways...I fidget daily with anticipation for the pre-release). My readership grows by the day and it just thrills me to continue this journey. As always, if any of you ever get tired of getting this, please DO NOT hesitate to tell me to remove you... I will do so ASAP... on the other hand, if you LOVE getting this, then please pass it on to friends and help these deserving artists get their music out there.....okay enough of that... let's get on to the news... as I said before, you might want to grab a cup of coffee cause there is alot to catch up on and I'll try to make these brief...
This week's SPOTLIGHT album to potentially spend your money on... (and oh my god, it's a major label release *GASP*)
BRAND NEW - THE DEVIL AND GOD ARE RAGING INSIDE ME I've yet to hear the whole thing because MySpace player is crapping out on me a ton, but what few songs I've made it thru are ABSOLUTELY STRIKING! This is the soundtrack to my life in many ways... it is a masterpiece that seemingly pins down into one album the struggles of an individual who grew up in a background of religion and church and such and growing out of following what you were always told and striking out to find and establish what the "truth" really is.... the rock is MASSIVE... the delivery is not conventional or contrived...it's personal and universal all at once... this is the album that will take BRAND NEW to a stunning new level!!!!!!
This week's CHRISTMAS album to beat ALL Christmas albums:
Okay, yeah, you are thinking Sufjan... but it's not. Whereas, I have my copy of Sufjan's Christmas album on its way to my mailbox and hopeto enjoy it... the album I'm REALLY looking forward to wearing out this holiday season is OVER THE RHINE'S second holiday offering...this time it is ALL original tunes and strikingly so... it is very simple yet still wondrous.... Karin stands head and shoulders over many female artists to rank as my favorite EVER... she is so versatile and so in tune with the emotion of each song she delivers... she becomes the character, she becomes the lyric... and Linford is a hero of mine both in poetry and in songwriter...SNOW ANGELS is the new album and you should definitely PRE-ORDER it here today...
Now on to more music bullets.... Derringer stands with his gun at the ready... aim... FIRE!
1) AIR (arguably my favorite band in the world) is releasing a NEWALBUM in the NEW YEAR! Can 2007 get any better? (Athlete, Air, and dammit, Travis, please get that new one to us soon as well) It is produced by Nigel "I gravel at your feet" Godrich. It features some Japanese instrument dabbling and more... It launches sometime early in2007 and they will tour US in May (I WILL finally see them live for the first time even if I have to pay out the wazoo...haha)
2) Johnny Lloyd Rollins - *he's posted new songs!*The first artist signed to my Derringer Record label... wait no, the artist that WOULD be my first signee IF I owned a record label is poised to make a huge splash by 2007. Meetings are happening with majors, and majors are showing serious interest. I predict a massive bidding war and the one who lands the deal with him WILL NOT BE SORRY! Mark my words. His album is getting NOTHING BUT GLOWING and FLAWLESS reviews from the gradual influx of music websites and magazines. Still no release date for LET'S BE POOR TOGETHER but you can guarantee when it does hit... it's gonna break some records... it's AMAZING...Johnny has just been featured singing a ditty on a hilarious new commercial for COMCAST... check it out here...
3) Derek James - Speaking of commercials... Derek James and I have been getting many emails in response to a bit that was running on the Travel Channel...it featured his song Smoky Light and had his name and song listed in corner of commercial...thus leading to an influx of emails saying "I remember you writing about Derek way back when...I saw him on a commercial tonight...Loved his song!!" Derek is working on putting together a new EP with some massive hit potential... many of the song she has been performing to tremendous response at live shows and he needs to get on cd due to hot demand... "Like A Woman" is a destined hit and I can already see it landing on a female targeted commercial or two in the future as well... Additionally, Derek has been really encouraging about some of my own music ideas lately and is showing an interest in working together on some things which I truly look forward to. His commercial is here...
4) Some AMAZING new videos are currently out that DEMAND YOUR ATTENTION...namely BOMBS by Faithless. It is a song of huge emotional impact with lyrical fire that torches the soul and comforts it all at once. It is alternately inspiring and convicting. The video enhances the impact with contrasting images that are creatively woven together and it is an experience that will pin you to your chair... it is best viewed at this link but if your computer does not handle that one...then you can always rely on the YouTube link... Both song and video have landed on my ongoing BEST OF 2007 LIST on my own MySpace page Additionally, THE FORMAT have given us a unique and very low budget gem of a video for the glorious tune, DOG PROBLEMS go here ...
5) Radiohead covered by University of Arizona marching band! This was featured on Pitchfork Media and this is AWESOME!!!!
6) New artists worth keeping your hawk eyes on...
a) Meiko - The girl can sing... amazing vocal... if she can keep pumping out songs as loveable as PIANO SONG and the others...she's gonna do REAL well...
b) Walter Meego - THANK YOU INSOUND for my new addiction and what is currently ranking as my favorite tune of the year... I am listening to this as Hot Chip likes to say "over and over".... I am eager to buy an album and see them live... this group makes the wonderful Hot Chip sound weak.... hahaha... and HC is NOT weak at all, but Walter Meego brings the catchiness and infectiousness in waves...I became an immediate fan!
c) Sparrow House (aka keyboardist from VOXTROT) I am pleased to announce that the keyboardist from VOXTROT has delivered a gorgeous debut EP under the moniker, Sparrow House. It isa quiet gentle work but with plenty of melodic intrigue and lyrical grabbing to keep the listener interested. (And if you haven't heard the new Voxtrot EP then you should and DEFINATELY listen to the spectacular track, SWAY...it is my new favorite autumn song)
d) EDDYFINK I sent out an email previously about these stunning rockers that are just getting warmed up for the major leagues. If you haven't listened to them yet, please do so...I'm convinced that between the amazing musicianship and the masterful wordplay along with the arc and range of vocal inside the sexy lead singer, Andy Pisanu, this band isTHE next big UK phenomenon. If I were to label them, I'd have to officiate a new genre.. "Corkscrew Rock"... you'll never expect the places they take you...
e) FELL CITY GIRL New UK band worth watching... I'm especially keen on their song, February Snow... though the other tunes on their MySpace fail to equal that stunner of a tune, I think they are capable of more grandeur...
7) Existing artists/bands that I've finally arrived at on my musical map (and shamefully, WAY too late)
a) THE BOXER REBELLION I'm tuned into this band thanks to Andy of Eddyfink... WHY IS THIS BAND STILL STRUGGLING? they should be massive... check out tunes like WATERMELLON and WORLD WITHOUT END... and you'll understand why...
b) Ron Sexsmith and Martha Wainwright.... shame on me for waiting so long to dive into these AMAZING artists... thanks again to Andy for pushing me into their pools of perfection... I was walking the streets of New York with rivers coming out my eyes due to Sexsmith's "God Loves Everyone" and "Gold In Them Hills"....
and FINALLY... If you have stuck with me and gotten this far... THANK YOU!!!
My best friend/buddy, Stukenberg, has been busy working on a some material for what will be his debut album... He moved to be back around his family and girlfriend in Wisconsin about the time that I moved to New York and I miss him like crazy... but his move, like mine, has proven fruitful and successful as he is working at a small upstart label there in his area and the label is SUPER EXCITED to help him with his debut...He has posted two new demos which are striking in their potential..."Senses" and especially "Don't Mind" which gushes out of the gate with the spunk of an early firestorming Billy Joel... yes, they still need a little polish but Stuk assures that these are only demos and they are enough to get me excited.... hope you enjoy!
I want to give a shout out to INSOUND... they are an online store where I've begun buying all my cds ... they offer reasonable prices and much like my favorite indie store in Nashville, Grimeys...they are GREAT about offering EXTRA goodies with purchases that you wouldn't get at major retail outlets.... plus they send outMP3's every week from the hottest up and comers in indie music...thus how I heard my latest obsession WALTER MEEGO... so if you want to make shopping easier... go to their page... and NO, this NOT a plugging of them because they want me to... I am not getting any kickback or anything... it's a personal recommendation that I feel compelled to let the world in on...
Be sure and vote for the PLUG Indie Awards here... and in the blank at the end where it asks who is criminally missing from the nominations...I'm trying to stir up a revolution and get people to put THE FORMAT... they are a deserving band who have kicked back from getting dropped from the MAJORS and produced an AMAZING album that should be recognized and awarded by the Indie community... it is the only Indie album in my running BEST OF 2007 LIST that is missing from the nominations....
For all the latest personal blogging updates and indie artists I find worth shouting about... always visit my MySpace page... you are ALWAYS welcome to the state of Derringer and it's visiting station... found here.... , but if you are a reader of this, then thou shalt NOT FEAR because you will ALWAYS get the same quality updates here too... and maybe more....
As a bonus for being a reader, I want to forward all of you something special that came into my email inbox via the masterful music blogger and online radio guy, GORILLA VS BEAR...the back story is in the email... READ IT... it's very interesting and then listen to the song... you will love it... I PROMISE....
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!
hugs from the state of DERRINGER,
Jer
Friday, November 17, 2006
Chicken-Fried Doug Burr
When I first moved to Texas from granola-crunchy California, I was convinced that all the "native" food was the same color of brown and covered in sauce. Gravy, BBQ, White... no matter, whatever it was, if it wasn't sliced, diced and fried into oblivion, it wasn't Texan. I've since developed a taste for grease. This isn't a good thing, but yum. Anywhoo, All Good Cafe's version is really good, though warning!: if you're a vegan, don't click the link. You'll find it ghastly, graphicly chicken-fried. Now that you're hankering for that batter, head on over tomorrow and line your tummy before a night of Shiner. To coat it, ya know.
The wonderful, brilliant Doug Burr performs
with Crushed Stars
and solo Sarah Jaffe of Tomahawk Molly.
All Good Cafe
2934 Main Street, Deep Ellum.
8:00pm.
All ages. Cover $5.
Chicken-Fried Steak $10.99
The wonderful, brilliant Doug Burr performs
with Crushed Stars
and solo Sarah Jaffe of Tomahawk Molly.
All Good Cafe
2934 Main Street, Deep Ellum.
8:00pm.
All ages. Cover $5.
Chicken-Fried Steak $10.99
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Lousy Robot ready for TV
Lousy Robot is a fav band of mine, and a bunch of really good guys. They're from New Mexico and they come through Dallas often. I met them ages ago at the Doublewide. Next time they are here, I want them to play with the Deathray Davies. Goes well together, ya know?
Follow the link and click the green "Put it on TV" button to vote for their video "Mile Low Club."
Follow the link and click the green "Put it on TV" button to vote for their video "Mile Low Club."
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