The Color of Noise – Third Man Record is going to premier the film by writer/director Eric Robel May 30th 2014 in Tennessee. The film has been in the works for over the past few years. In this documentary Robel interviews all of the bands that were on Tom Hazelmeyer’s record label Amphetamine Reptile Records(AMREP). These were mostly the bands that made the 1990’s notorious in a few small cirlces of fanzine, artists and record geek’s worlds like myself. Most of these bands never went on to do anything else except be on tour but one thing was certain they were all part of a gang that appreciated the same aesthetic sonically. There were many and I can say that The Research and Development picture disc series was an example of somebody with vision. Every 7″ was something you might find in a very twisted S&M gallery. Many underground artists before basement shows were a huge thing that you may have ever heard. Tom (HAZE XLL) had it under control and gladly put things out there in the hopes of grabbing your attention even if he never really was able to “cash-in”. DOPE-GUNS’N FUCKING IN THE STREETS 7″ compilation EP series was another of my favorite comps from this era of noise rock. You got a great bang for your buck. usually four bands and zero complaints. One’s you might have heard of like Mudhoney and rest were there laying to waste your turn-table for the afternoon. In this series there was always a simple illustration right smack in the middle of the custom typography were items like a used condom, needle or vibrator. All these Bands were part of this world that bands like Helmet and the Cows played. These were my go to bands to see play live at CBGB’s and other parts of NJ and NYC. If I didn’t know about them Tom made sure that 50 of us did so music by Tar, Janitor Joe, Unsane or Hammerhead had a small but loyal audiencee. A club within a club of punk because this music was not necessarily as popular as Nirvana got to be or would it ever become. It was dangerous and the poster Artwork for the show alone made it intriguing with guys like Derek Hess, Coop and Kozik. Album art produced by Hazelmeyer made the point clear this was something unique and a one time thing. You should proceed with caution while you blow your ear-drums out and annoy your neighbors but this is something that won’t ever be replicated – a close facsimile maybe. This type of music was an under appreciated sub-genre of grunge because what happened to grunge was a obmination compared to what it really was. Here’s the evidence.
Although my facebook friends only got to the eighth line their hearts and twisted minds were in the right place. Merry Christmas from the Review Stalker music blog.
On the first day of the Apocalypse my true love gave to me…
A Haz-Mat suit filled with candy
[ Unsane – Hazmat MP3 }
An extra hour of sleep ( because you’re playing with the casino’s money) 3 crashing asteroids
[ The Platters – Blue Christmas MP3 } 4 firey fault lines
[ Archers of Loaf – Plumb line MP3 ]
Fuck you #Sandy the #frankenstorm. To hell with everybody who keeps ignoring global warming issues in politics and not trying to reduce your global footprint somehow. We’re all guilty of this in many ways. I hope we survive this natural disaster and it does not become some apocalyptic scene. Anyway here’s a playlist of a bunch of songs about inclement weather, rain, sleet, floods and snow to help you brave this situation.
Playlist for badweather:
01. Smells Like Rain MP3 by Unsane from Occupational Hazard (1998) When i think of storms and chaos sometimes i think of the walls of guitar gutter these guys create.
02. Raincoat’s Room MP3 by Swell Maps from Jane From Occupied Europe (1980) An instrumental jam that sets up mood. Amazing record all around of an indie guitar sound that has not changed much since.
03. Rain Test MP3 by Aviso’Hara from Our Lady of the Highway (2001) A slow jam with best line from a movie. “Give me the strength to die well” Name that movie!?
04. Date With The Rain MP3 by Frankie Gee from Groove Merchant Turns 20 compilation. This is a funky one. We’re not just noise blog here. We like the funk the boogie.
05. Seven Seas MP3 by Echo and The Bunnymen from Ocean Rain (1984) This originally came out while I was in freaking just in Highschool but it’s such a stand-up album all the way . Great live band too.
06. Thunderstorm MP3 by the original Buzzkill from their first full length CD release I feel like myself again This is dirgy punk. “This is a stormy Monday and everyday after that!” Good mosh-part at the end.
07. Rain MP3 by Bongwater from Double Bummer CD on Shimmy Disc (1988) Is this really a cover written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney? I just know this is one of my favorite NYC bands from the 1980s. Period.
08. Pouring Rain MP3 by Fishbone from Truth & Soul (1988) This is one of their slow soul jams that really shows how this band could groove. Also another amazing live band that I saw about 8x I think in their heyday. Still awesome now. So check them out. Nobody makes music like Angelo and his boys.
09. The Waves MP3 by The Draymin from their new one Should’ve Known Better (2012) This is particular tune is very alternative grunge. Nice acoustic song with great singing. Check them out.
10. Rain Bird MP3 by Love & Rockets from Earth * Sun * Moon (1987) There is used to be this dark band called Bauhaus. this is an off-shoot of that. The music was always ethereal, dark and inspired. File under #Goth
11. Behold The Hurricane MP3 by The Horrible Crowes from Elsie (2011) Would be almost impossible for this band not to sound like the Gaslight Anthem no matter what Brian Fallon does. Good songs on this record.
MUSIC REVIEW: The Bats Pajamas from Toronto Canada are a dirt rock party mixing some booze and punk all in one no frills sleepover on their EP Totally. If you like the noisy parts of the Unsane the first track “Breaking Sabbath will resonate with you. The rest is more AM/REP in the vain of the Cows and general sick fun dripped in enough reverb that you will gladly download this Free EP! They do a great job in their single video for the track “Sarai”. This is not your regular Bollywood black and white flick. I would say more Richard Kern fantasy meets Russ Meyer go go fest with some slap stick gore-light thrown in for good measure. This is NSFW because of one nip slip but just click play and you’ll see what we mean. A whee bit cow punk on another track called “Red Scared” which we dig very much with just enough variety to not bore us to death. Thanks and enjoy!
Some other sounds similar to these sounds man: How Far We’ve Come Now MP3 by La Sera from See the Light (2012). How do buzz-band morph so quickly into other bands these days? This track is via Katy Goodman from Vivians’s Girls with a side project. Not sure why you would do another take of the same thing when what you were doing sounds the same but anyway. Lets not judge and enjoy the output. This is more like the chic band The Like. Sure to appear in your next surfer girl movie. Bath MP3 by Unsane (1991) Black Car MP3 by Black Tambourines/t (1999?)
ALBUM REVIEW: Little did these two bands know that their last performance would leave behind rubble and a set of burnt out souls. I’m of course talking about the fire that destroyed the Sound Station in Westfield where above video was shot a week before that tragic Sunday on Jan 22nd, 2012. This was not their intent only metaphorically of course. Bob Larsen the owner loves to celebrate all sorts of music and these guys were part of that musical entertainment. So, if your a fan of noise, as he is, and copious guitar notes then you’re gonna love A FUCKING ELEPHANT and EL DRUGSTORE on Nefarious Industries. Besides the fact we love capitalization. We sincerely dig these two bands and are rooting for the Sound Station to come back stronger in a badly needed music scene where culture is slowly disapearing. Fortunately for us bands like these two have put out split LP that is as much gut spilling as it is ear bending. Taking the art of noise to places that need exploring. Disfigured in the anti matter of rock something great will rise again. Your spine will bend a little when El Drugstore goes off the rails in what’s best described as a cacophony of uprooted trees being torn down by a bulldozer where Live at Pompei once stood. These jams bend the sequence of time. Those Arm Rests are Fire MP3 by El Drugstore
The opening track are by AFE make you feel right off the bat that bands like Neurosis and Melvin have had impact. Two of my favorites combined with the anti-Rush. Now for the avid listener it obvious why these two bands put out a split release together. Their line in “Football with Ukrainians” describes the music best. “They scream heart attack”. I mean shit this is a beating. When I was chatting with Matty Keys the guitarist he was we have to be totally sober to place this music. A listen and you’ll realize this music is about precision. Well at least as much as you can have accuracy if your scalpel is buzzsaw carving through sheets of metal and earth. Lots of guitar taping on few numbers and juggling of said notes in furious numbing beating like a boxer on punching bag. Football With Ukrainians MP3 by A Fucking Elephant
This noise reminds us of: Self-Doubt MP3 by Neurosis(1989) Get more from Relapse Bocabola MP3 by Boredoms from Pop Tatari (1992) Superpussy MP3 by Rapeman from Budd (1988) Over From Underground MP3 by Melvins live 10 Songs (1986). Organ Donor MP3 by Unsane s/t (1991/matador)
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