RIP – Songs for Jason Molina – a compilation for your good karma

RIP – Songs for Jason Molina – a compilation for your good karma

GOOD CAUSES: We all go through the exit door at some point in our short journey on earth with the living and sometime that shit just happens too fast for some and we leave some folks behind. Being sensitive to this fact Steven Vineis has put together a compilation benefiting the late and great Mr. Jason Molina formerly of the Magnolia Electric Co which you should just buy now at songsmolina.bandcamp.com

Songs Jason Molina Comp

He recorded under several names at Electrical Audio in Chicago but in essence the output was all his energy and ability to crank out tunes at an amazing pace. Not just any basic singer songwriter stuff but the stuff that can make you cry. Mr. Albini had some very kind words on the news of his passing back in March of this year.

I loved hearing Jason Molina sing. He was a genius at turning a phrase and making it into something more than the words in it. Jason was almost supernaturally prolific, and several times I watched him write an album’s worth of songs in a weekend, recording them on the spot. Much of his recorded output with Magnolia Electric Co is the evidence of him and the band playing his songs for the very first time. It’s amazing, really, that it was any good at all, much less so touching and fully realized.

Jason was a unique talent and I will miss him. My heart goes out to all his friends and family, all of you I’ve met have been good people who did well by Jason.
-Steve Albini

Here is the first song on the compilation by Eastern Anchors.


The compilation is a mixed bag of covers and dedications by 39 bands for a $10 suggested donation. All proceeds go to his family to help them cope.

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Interview: Are you ready for The Doug Gillard Electric?

Interview: Are you ready for The Doug Gillard Electric?

Doug Gillard Photo by Ana Luisa Morales

Photo by Ana Luisa Morales

INTERVIEW: He might not mention Johnny Marr or Ed from Ohio as his guitar heroes but Mr. Doug Gillard is one of those guys who you should just know as such. For Christ’s sake just one glance at his wiki page none the less re-affirms that the guitar has infinite possibilities in the right hands. A few years ago he put his 2nd solo album called Call from Restricted and is now working on a follow-up in-between touring and playing with Nada Surf and producing like the Eternal Summers and playing with a bunch of different bands. His pedigree is as rich as it gets. You know that killer epic 90’s song “I Am a Tree” on Mag Earwhig(Matador). He wrote that tune with some bro named Gem then recorded it with Pollard where he did a stint in GBV between 1996-97 with his band mates Cobra Verde. In addition to Death of Samantha; plus a shit load of other appearances. He has a single out too which you should just own. He took the time out of crazy schedule to put pen to paper to a few caffeine inspired questions. So here you go.

CATCH: The Doug Gillard Electric: This Friday May 31st at Asbury Lanes, in Asbury Park, NJ w/ Eastern Anchors, Risk/Reward and Lowlark. 8pm doors. 18+

RS: Who and where are you recording your new album>
DG: I’m recording it here in NYC with Travis Harrison at Serious Business, and in Austin with Louie Lino at his Resonate studio, with George Duron on drums there.

Doug Gillard Eternal Summers
I’m also in the process of producing the newest LP by Eternal Summers. Louie Lino & I recorded them in Austin, and I played a little on the songs, helped them co-write a section here & there.

RS: A we never heard of the Eternal Summers until we saw a photo posted of them with you; too many bands not enough time really. Very cool you’re working and producing with them. We did notice the big pro-tools monitor display on your FB page. Do you miss recording to analog or has digital made life easier?
DG: I miss analog a bunch, but it is easier to record digitally, and I’ve come to expect the visual of the files as well – helps you see sections of the song to punch in at, etc…
Analog vs. digital isn’t the debate anymore for most. Rather, its “How does this get distributed and heard?”
RS: Lots of words of wisdom. We wholeheartedly agree. Sometimes we think the concept of demoing tunes for a album has gone out the window for new bands. Do you think it’s too easy for up and coming bands to record their music?
DG: Yes. Though I do demo most of my songs, and get too lazy to want to play them again in the studio, so I fly them in from my garageband demos a lot. Its not just laziness- its also knowing I wouldn’t capture the same spark if I replayed it.
RS: Do you think they skip right to album and lack a song writer process? Of  starting with an idea and then proofing on 4track?
DG: Not sure what you mean by this question, but everyone has a different process. I do think that not enough people try to avoid typical chord progressions, melodies or add interesting basslines to their songs. They should live with the song idea for a bit, and then see if it needs something else. Most times it does.

RS: Right who the hell knows what a 4track is. We personally make music when we’re all alone. What is your song writing process been like?
DG: I always have riffs or parts that I record or voice memo. Sometimes I will marry some of those together, or sometimes a complete song will come to me wholly. It varies, and I’m glad it does. The best are ones that happen by imagining or singing, & I haven’t arrived at it by having a guitar on. I like figuring the chords out later, knowing what they should be beforehand, as opposed to knowing what the moves on the fretboard are as I make it up. Those times are rare, though.


RS: What was your first guitar? Mine was a taped up tennis racket that I played air guitar along to van halen II.
DG: I had some small toy guitars when i was really little, then at 5, I got an almost full size plastic guitar with steel strings from Sears that had the brand name “Emenee”. We had a reel-to-reel tape recorder in the family for trading audio letters with my sister who was living in Germany, so I would use it to record and write songs, until i was about 9.

RS: Does you new record have a title and planned release date?
DG: No title yet, and no release date, as of yet. I’d like to see if a label would like to put my LP out as well.

RS: Any special guests planned?
DG: Aside from Travis Harrison and George Duron both on drums & maybe Sally Crewe on a couple backing vocals, none that I know of just yet. My pal Kendall Meade may be tapped for some bv’s. If my last single “Breaking In Two” makes the record, there’s a very special guest in NJ native Erik Paparozzi on that song.

RS: Do you plan on playing some new tunes in may?
DG: Yes- hoping to have at least 2 ready.

RS: Cool we are very psyched for the show! Any covers you would like to play?
DG: Sometimes i do a slow, glammy “Boney Maronie”. Used to do “Some Might Say” by Oasis and “Stop Me” by the Smiths, and in 2009 we did Buzzcocks’ “Autonomy”. Probably one or none at the Asbury show, though.

RS: Nice my band rarely gets our act together to do cover songs. We’d love to do a nada surf song but they are so perfect. We figure so why mess it up. But what has it been like recently touring and recording with Matthew Caws & the guys?
DG: I love playing in Nada Surf. They’re the best guys to hang around & be on tour with, every one of ’em. And they choose crew people that are really nice & good folks, always. And that’s important. I love the songs, and Matthew & I are around the same age, and have a lot of musical tastes in common, Oh, and we’re both WASPS. Wait, we never even talk about that! The tours went great, and that band has sown the seeds of great friends & fans all over, so its always a positive atmosphere wherever we go. Looking forward to recording our next LP within the next couple years. Ira Elliot is an amazing drummer, and also my bandmate in Bambi Kino, the Hamburg-era Beatles band we have. (We play only the covers they played in clubs from ’60-’62).

RS: Seems as a working musician and the number of groups you have been in over the years it surpasses what any one person would strive for in their musical career. What keeps you inspired?
DG: I always have more music to get out. Always more songs I’ve written that need to be heard. That’s the main driving force with me , always has been, but I also love co-writing with people (Mascott/Kendall Meade, Sally Crewe, and Eternal Summers recently) and seeing what I can add to someone’s song idea. I’m a pretty good bridge writer when someone needs one. The other part of course is that I always enjoy adding guitar textures or solos to others’ work.

RS: We should have been more careful to ask you this but here it goes. Who are your guitar heroes
DG: Oh man, too too many. James Honeyman-Scott(The Pretenders) has always been up there at the top for me. Mick Ronson (David Bowie -The Spiders from Mars), Robert Quine (Richard Hell & The Voidoids), John McGeoch (Siouxsie and the Banshees, PIL), Billy Bremner/Dave Edmunds, Pete Townshend, Glenn Tilbrook, Marshall Crenshaw, Geordie, Phil Manzanera, Chet Atkins, Robin Guthrie, Tom Jobim & Joao Gilberto, Bill Nelson, Jerry Reed, Marco Pirroni, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Adrian Belew, Les Paul, Pat Place, John Lennon, Andy Gill, Chris Spedding, Will Sargent, Verlaine/Lloyd, Rew/Hitchcock. I’m sure there’re a ton more. Dave Gregory (XTC)

RS: Damn this is a list. I’ll admit though I know half of these guys but once I looked them up I was all smart and stuff. Last nerdy question. Do you think social media has made things easier to be a full time musician/ artist?
DG: No. Its made it easier to tell people about a show & “invite” them, advertise product, but that goes hand in hand with there now being 10 million artists all doing that, all fragmented into whichever genre someone’s individual tastes zoom in on. So it seems tougher to reach people, especially beyond the several that pay attention to your particular page or feed.
RS: It’s a bender for sure. I was talking to friend of mine who is a used to play in bands for forever and who has been Highschool teacher even longer than . He said something interesting that kids these days don’t consume music in so many ways we did by genera or label. They actually don’t distinguish between genres and on one play list might be listening to Snoop one minute and then Eternal Summers the next.

RS: Last Question, what’s your goal for 2013 into 2014?
To record as much of my own music as I can, while I can, and, to paraphrase a King, to live a little, love a little.

RS: We can live with this. Thank you Doug!

Doug Gillard Guitar Set-up

Doug Gillard Guitar Set-up

The Doug Gillard Electric Guitar set-up
GUITARS: Are you a guitar nerd? Every wonder where certain guitar twangs come from? Here’s Mr. Doug Gillard’s guitar set-up for all of his bands with some personal notes from him for each thing in his pedal daisy chain. Next week we’ll come back at you with a full on interview but be sure to catch him pushing these knobs and tuning some of his axes on Friday May 31st,2013 at the infamous Asbury Lanes down the Jersey shore with Eastern Anchors, Risk/Reward and Asbury/Brooklyn locals Woods Party. Here’s the facebook invite.

Not many folks can say they have several guitar set-ups for different bands because most normal dudes in bands play in just one band at a time! Doug shares some magic and some surprising guitars in his arsenal with some candid notes from his Guided by Voices days, a coming Death of Samantha LP, Bambi Kino and of course his set-up with Nada Surf!

THE BASICS:
Boss floor tuner

Boss EQ pedal set for lg boost

Durham Electronics “Mucho Busto” distortion/boost

Boss EQ set for small boost

Voodoo Lab Tremelo

E-H Holy Grail Nano reverb

Boss Delay

One-Spot power chain.

THE DETAILS: I use 2 Boss EQ pedals for a clean(ish) boost. One set for larger boost, the other for accents or small boosts. For a saturated fuzz controllable by volume, or in some cases just a good distorted boost, I use a Mucho Busto, made by Durham Electronics in Austin, (Alan Durham, maker of the Sex Drive pedal). Its a great little unit, and the led beam is bright and blue, so it’s like an old Spielberg movie when you step on it. The Voodoo Lab Tremelo is versatile, and everyone knows the Holy Grail is the best reverb in pedal form. I end the chain with a Boss DD-3 delay pedal. Good for slapback, or actual delay. I should probably get a more involved delay, but I’m lazy and cheap. This is fine.
All this is loosely velcroed to 2 Ikea cutting boards duct-taped side by side. Hey, you can fold them up when you fly. Done. Fugghed. About. It.

Depending on the application, I use any number of guitars. For my solo band shows, I use mainly my black Les Paul (76) or SG Classic. I just got a ’67 ES-330, so I may use that as well. Amp-wise, I’ll use my Mesa Rectifier and cab if I’m driving, but backline amp at the venue is good most times in the NYC area.

Doug Gillard Live Nada Surf

For Nada Surf, its been the Les Paul and SG through my Mesa Rectifier & 4×12 cab. The Mesa doesn’t have the most amazing clean tone, but it has 3 channels, and the main appeal of these amps to me is the “Solo” channel. Its just a dedicated volume knob/boost to whatever channel you’re on at the time, and provides a huge clean boost. What do the kids say today? “Ginormous”? Wait, that was a few years ago.

Doug Gillard in Bambi Kino - Photo by Andy Bicknell

Bambi Kino – Photo Courtesy of Andy Bicknell

With Bambi Kino I use my new old 330, and my Hofner Verithin. (Its a semi hollowbody, but yes, “very thin”!). Sometimes my SG with P-90’s sounds perfect for the old Beatles Star Club lp/BBC sessions sounds though. Amp-wise, I go through my Budda 30w combo with Bambi Kino.

Death of Samantha Doug Gilard

With Death Of Samantha, I use the black Les Paul I got when I was with them and played on those records. I also use my SG, and if possible, my Mesa thing. If not, someone else’s amp will do. And has. We have a new LP coming out this year based on rehearsals for our reunion show a year and a half ago, original lineup. I remember playing Maxwell’s in ’86 or so when Ira Kaplan did our sound! We will be playing a few shows this year, too. Just don’t know where or when yet.

68 Harmony Rocket Doug Gillard -GBV

I also own a 94 Strat, a 68 Harmony Rocket which i write on a lot, a nylon/classical which i used to write on a lot, and Alvarez 6-string acoustic, an Alvarez 12-str acoustic, a Kay Old Kraftsman Thin-Twin (Jimmy Reed, Hubert Sumlin, & my dad) and an old Fernandes “elephant” battery-powered built-in speaker guitar. I did some demos to “Mag Earwhig” songs on that, on a Tascam 4-track to Bob’s acoustic demos. Good times.

Asbury Lanes Rock Show 5-31-13 Doug Gillard Eastern Anchors Risk Reward

[FACEBOOK SHOW INVITE – THE DOUG GILLARD ELECTRIC]

Related Stories:
Nada Surf: Top Albums from the year of the dragon 2012
Songs About Love & Giving Thanks

IT Girl please fix my “Neon  Signs” says The Men

IT Girl please fix my “Neon Signs” says The Men

IT GIRL single review

SINGLE REVIEW: I’m not sure this Glasgow band’s sound qualifies as post-punk or at least the american version of this concept but if you dig The Nationals barritone type singing or Bloc Party then this will fit comfortably in the alternative new wave genre. You art school Morrissey fans may be inspired with lots of sweeping shoe-gaze guitar fluttering amongst the more angular sounds of riffing then try this free single by IT GIRL and a couple other tracks on their bandcamp page. I would say a band like The Men are more post-punk and messy sounding. More left fluttering in the wind with them. However, IT might be the fact they use of less reverb as part of the playing — either way the ITGirl band might just be the sound you were dreaming of when you’re trying to get down with that goth looking chick next to you in your painting class. Unless she only listens to industrial music in which case you better use your charm or knowledge of an obscure performance artist. Good luck!

The Club is open Neon Sign

Show: Feb 22 Art School Glasgow, UK

Neon Signs MP3 by IT Girl

Vs.

Ex-Dreams MP3 deep cut by The Men from their stellar 2012 album Open Your Heart On a big European tour in March and in Australia in February with a couple US shows in between.

03-07 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
03-09 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour

You never know who we’ll pair you with here but keep tabs of Review Stalker the twitters. For better or worse we’re hear to serve your ears and taste.

Stuff we’re truly digging:
ALBUM REVIEW: Sex Jams from Trouble Honey
MIX-TAPE: On the first day of the Apocalypse my true love gave to me…
WATCH NOW: Drunken Arts and Pure Science Rockumentary by Eastern Anchors

The Brixton Riot – Palace Amusements

The Brixton Riot – Palace Amusements

The Brixton Riot Palace Amusements Album Review
ALBUM REVIEW: Palace Amusements by The Brixton Riot on Modern Hymnal Records is a great throw-back to everything that is good about rock music that is missing these days from the island known as Brooklyn. These Jersey guys reminds us of the hooky parts of Jets to Brazil, Ted Leo RX and the more memorable parts of 70’s and 80’s jangly guitar punk. To help them celebrate this release you should get your ass down to Maxwells on Fri March 23rd where they will play with Lieder, Roadside Graves and yours truly Eastern Anchors for some rock schooling.

Eastern Anchors Brixton Riot Roadside Graves Maxwells 2012
I’m not sure there is any irony in a song title like “Hipster Turns 30” when the lyrics sober you up and say ‘get a mortgage and buy a car’. In fact I’d venture to say it’s probably more fandom on the sleeve than anything else. Hard working musicians with 9-5’s doing what they must in order not to drown in the hum-drum doldrums of the working stiffs union. You can tell every note and tone here is plucked just in the right spot and amusement created out of passion. This kingdom of rock is held in the highest of regards like a well crafted champion beer with a pedigree of influences that lends itself to something so familiar you’ll be happy you visited.

Canvas Shoes MP3 by The Brixton Riot [BUY CD]

These sounds remind me of that sound man:
Morning New Disease MP3 by Jets To Brazil from Orange Rhyming Dictionary (1998)
Sometimes MP3 by fIREHOSE from If’n (1987)
Three Girl Rhumba MP3 by Wire from Pink Flag (1977)
Love You More MP3 by The Buzzcocks from Singles Going Steady (1979)

Secret Photos Vs Bodega Satellite

Secret Photos Vs Bodega Satellite

Secret Photos 10th Street Live
So the other night I had the honor of playing a solo show as The Slow Wire with a few bands I really dug Secret Photos, Bodega Satellite as well this other local swamp rock band called Traveling in Stereo. In all a awesome night. Originally the Eastern Anchors we’re supposed to play but either way I’m sure we’ll hook up soon enough as the album is the EA complete. There will always be more shows. What’s actually exciting to me is this new 10th Street live venue is actually book some exciting shit. The rumour that night also is that my pal Andy Diamond may be booking some music The Crossroads in Garwood in the near future (not confirmed yet) but we shall see. I’ve never had two rock clubs so close to since I move out of New Brunswick a decade ago.


Super energetic punk trio with some chops and riffage. Hope you dig them. If a band can sound good live on video it’s not a sound mans trick. No mixing in the world can help. Dig them.

Here’s another song by Secret Photos called jack and the pollock MP3 from their record Luv2Giv
I like the way they switch electronic embryo or power trio. Cool shit.

More videos on the Review Stalker Music Blog channel

Some of this sounds like:
Slow Motion MP3 by Ultravox
Eels MP3 by Built to Spill from The Electronic Anthology Project
You Got It (Keep It Outta My Face) MP3 by Mudhoney from Super Fuzz Big Muff
Think About Carbs MP3 by Hot Snakes from Audit In Progress
Champs MP3 by Wire from Pink Flag (1977)

Give the bass player some

Give the bass player some


To be honest I’m looking for motivation to get back into the 4 strings thinking. Besides literally trying to find the bandwidth to do it right with Eastern Anchors. I’m not sure why you’d need more inspiration than bands like Girls Against Boys for inspiration in particular when there is awesome tone, tube amps and distortion pedals are at play on every song. GvsB were a innovator in this spectrum of rock, however there are a crap load of other bass players who’s bass licks are just as stellar.

Kill the Sexplayer MP3 by Girls Against Boys (1997)

U.S. 80’s-90’s MP3 from Bend Sinister (1986) The bass playing on any of The Fall’s songs is just always so solid and straight forward it becomes innovative on it’s own mainly because who-ever is playing is try to stay ahead of the crazy amount of songs on any given album Gang of Four were also master of making the drumming just as important as the melody with bass making it work perfectly showing who is in control of the rythem section.
Not Great Men MP3 by Gang of Four from Entertainment (1979)

Andrew Weiss Rollins Band LalapaloozaWartime A experimental project that features bass with sorts of effects and use of the “Phaser” is Wartime which was Rollins and Andrew Weiss making some funk w/ Sim Cain going nuts on the roto toms. Then again any song that Andrew played on I thought was awesome and big like on 1,000 Times Blind MP3 from Rollins Band’s Lifetime record (1999). He breaks it down into a swinging bass distorted inferno on Lonely MP3 as another example.

Jesus Lizard live bass face

Bassface by David Wm. Sims from Jesus Lizard


The Art of Self-Defense MP3 by Jesus Lizard – really any freaking song is an example of killer bass playing but the magic really happens when you have the whole band working hard like this and doing it fucking fast. Almost inconsequential what the singer is doing although you better keep your eye on David Yow because he might grab your private parts. As he and David Wm. Sims are going to be touring with Scratch Acid later this fall.
She Said MP3 by Scratch Acid.

Lets consider this part 1 of some of the alternative players. I’m drawing a blank besides like John Paul Jones and particular songs it’s obvious I’ll need to revisit this short list. Please leave a note in the comments. What’s a good drummer gonna do if you can’t give the bass player some credit for making it happen.

The Bands

The Bands

Aviso'Hara 2006 Court Tavern New Brunswick, NJ - photo by Chris Poppe


To many bands not enough time:
The full story is still cloudy and probably still only clear to me but part of the greatest joy in life has been able to have played and made so much noise with my musically minded friends over the years. It’s what connected us and made us friends. Since the early days in high-school till recent years. I still love the thrill of the chord whether acoustic or electric it does not matter to me. Music lasts and is like the drug that keeps giving which is one of reason RS exists at all. I love listening and thinking about music too as a fan or making it when I can. All the bands I’ve played with were all different because my taste is all over the place. I was always bringing in different things from syncopated jazz rhythms to various flavors of distortions either on bass or guitar. I hated what I called the Boston school of pedals but that’s a different story.

Eastern Anchors | Band Camp (2006-Present) I used to play Guitar in this. I left for a bit and now back I’m playing Bass as a trio. New record out now called Drunken Arts and Pure Science on Viva! La Hara Records. [Band website]

The Slow Wire (2002-Present) | Really just a dusty a bin of demos again. Like this recent video I did for a song called VIDEO: Robot Head. Sure was great though having my own band for awhile. (see below)
Aviso’Hara (94-2004- 2006 reunion) free aviso tracks on last.fm. Viva La Hara!
Suran Song in Stag (94) – art rock
Bubblegum Thunder (94-95) – sludge rock
Mr.Thumb (88-93) grunge-prog before it was cool.
Psychic Fair (86-87) Punk rock with a bauhaus feel
Imaginary Boys (87-88) Alt rock that sounded like The Smiths
The Leisure Set / The Unemployed (86′) alternative to the alternative

Video / random discography tracks:

Aviso’Hara broke up in at The Side Bar in Baltimore like 2002 then like an old girlfriend got together more times than we care to count. The last time we played was with Ken from the Eastern Anchors playing drums the Cruel But Fair documentary filming in Nov 2009. Our chapter should be called Drunk boys on film.


Aviso Hara Hit Factory 1998


Red Five (Standing by) [Hit Factory version MP3 (1998). Recorded by my Friend Tony Black along with a bunch of other songs at The Hit Factory on 54th street. We recorded this song 3 times. Great song by Walter. Deep Elm wanted an exclusive with our original version for their Emo diaries. We went for the gold on our own. In retrospect we should have let them had them have it because we later re-released it as just “Standing By” — Such Dummies.

Crossed Wires (2002) solo project called The Slow Wire. This is from the debut Analog.Living on AmbigiousCity! Records out of Baltimore. Then recorded a Follow up called The Golden Age of Treason. Which you can downoad from the last.fm. I may move it all over to headphonemusic.bandcamp.com just need to burn shit in quality like the kids are doing these days.

Twilight 20’s MP3 (2001) by Aviso’Hara from Our Lady of the Highway. This is the opening track from this record. You’d think we’d run out of energy. The footage was randomly cobbled together to show you the chaos that truly was Aviso! Recorded at the pigeon club in Hoboken, NJ w/ Wayne Dorrell.

Aviso' Hara WeFest_2001


Ready MP3 (1999) By Aviso’Hara from the album goodnight sweetheart recorded by Chris Gobo Pierce from Doc Hopper at his studio Technical Ecstasy.


Conspiracy Au Go Go MP3 (1997) by Aviso’Hara originally released on a 7″ ep called Mature & Unsatisfied on Vital Cog Records we would later release it on Made from Scratch on Power Bunny 4×4 Records. Probably one of most request songs next to the cover of Shout at the Devil or most played track according to last.fm is our cover of “Raspberry Beret” by Prince. Get that here. It’s a punk classic.

Pretty Low Guy MP3 (1996) by Aviso from debut 7″ on Alien Records later re-leased on Made from Scratch.

Bubblegum Thunder Lounge AX Chicago


Ghost Town(1994) MP3 by Bubblegum Thunder(Story) recorded by Steve Albini in Chicago. Get some free Thunder on Last.fm. This band was short lived buy toured a bunch and put a few 7″s and recorded a full length. at first they were just tuned down 2 guitars and drums. Then they added me on bass to round out the sound tuned downed to E Flat of course for that extra heavy sound. Joseph the main singer/guitarist did a open G or something where he just had to throw a finger across for a bar chord. If you like the Cows you’ll dig this.
Get some here and here.

Fuquan MP3 by Suran Song in Stag. From Kitra Vol 2 New Brunswick Compilation put out by Jeff Scavone on Power Bunny 4×4. Recorded by Claude Coleman Jr from Ween at Stonybrook Studios in Hopewell, NJ. Tracks from sessions would later be remixed and put out on Suran’s debut full-length called Shiny Objects.

Mr.Thumb @ The Roxy New Brunswick, NJ 1992


Flowers are not Evil MP3 (1989-1993) by Mr. Thumb. Recorded by Steve Evetts & Eric Rachel in South River, NJ. This is close to what started my 20’s. There were three other bands before this one. Don’t ask me how the jump from crazy prog funk grunge to the next one below but it happened after I saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1990 on their first tour pre love sex magik with John Frusciante when he was 19 years old and during that whole Jane’s Addiction thing (saw them a bunch too)

The Imaginary Boys (1988 mostly) (I’ll have to update with some tunes) but before I went to Rutgers I did a spell at UCC for a few years and got a degree in Television Production/communications. I somehow ended up playing with these guys. This guy Alex was really inspired by Johnny Marr and even played a Vox guitar and worked at Macys. He was a really good songwriter. We recorded a EP of songs at Mix-o-lydian and they eventually put it out as a 7″. Which I’ll post as I happened to come across it one day at vintage vinyl in Ford NJ

Psychic Fair 1987 Westfield, Highschool


Psychic Fair (GET SOME FREE TRACKS ON LAST FM) – I put this band together after TLS broke-up. Featured John Payne on Drums, and my friends Ed Keenan (guitar) and Bill Cort (Vocals) and me on bass. We still talk about this band all the time because most of our social life centered around it. It still does in some ways…

The Leisure Set (GET SOME FREE TRACKS ON LAST FM) TLS – Was my first real highschool band. We were called The Unemployed for one or two shows where we got to play w/ Das Damen(SST records and the Whirling Dervishes. Featured: Dave Gaut(Vocals/Guitar), Chris Johnson (Guitar/Vocals, John Payne (drums) / Jeff Smith (drums) and me on bass.
Anyway. That’s about it.

Rock n Roll Court Tavern Seminar Sat 4-25-09

Rock n Roll Court Tavern Seminar Sat 4-25-09


Andy Diamond presents a rockn’roll seminar at the Court Tavern this coming Saturday, April 25th, 2009 featuring sets by The Stuntcocks, Eastern Anchors, Harlot and from Baltimore LandSpeedRecord![ View FB Event invitation ] Now in order to take advantage of this special offer you don’t much preparation to do except get there early by 10PM EST to enjoy everything the bands and court have to offer. You don’t even have to bring your friends. You will make friends but it would be nice if you brought your chick and some money to drink with.

Sample some mp3s by the bands:

Punk Rock Guy” by The Stuntcocks
Release the Dogs” by Eastern Anchors Listen to more on last.fm
Dead girlfriend” by LandSpeedRecord!

Live Video Indie Rocker – Zac Clark Tycoon

Always love it when a music fan puts so much energy into seeing live music. Zac Clark the Rocker Tycoon is one of those open minded guys that cares and comes armed with cameras in tow and stands in the front row. He made one song videos for Frankie and his Fingers, No Pasaran!, Eastern Anchors, and Binky Bianca at a recent Jersey City show at the IMAC. I wish there were more folks like them and not just those mp3 bloggers or reviewers who hide behind their blog. It’s refreshing and helps that the quality is good too! Friday nights are for dancing after all