A cidade do Rock Indie Brasil é Goiânia e não é de hoje… do fim dos anos 80 em diante apareceu no mapa e não saiu de cena. Esse ano a coisa promete será uma FESTA maluca e roqueira … confiram as dicas… e não se esqueçam que o calor é animal nessa ROCK CITY.

Esta edição do Goiânia NOISE será espalhada pela cidade com shows em 8 lugares diferentes e conta ainda com uma mostra de cinema e uma exposição de artes, além de palestras e debates.

Os shows ocorrerão em 8 locais diferentes, da seguinte forma:

Quarta-feira, 25/11:
Teatro Madre Esperança Garrido, 20h: Hermeto Pascoal e Grupo (SP)
Fiction Club, 22h: Vamoz (PE) / The Soundscapes (SP/USA) / Motherfish (GO)
Capim Pub, 19h: Os Cabeloduro (DF)/ HC 137 (GO) / Leptospirose (SP)/ Ressonância Mórfica (GO) / Señores (GO)

Quinta-feira, 26/11:

Goiânia Ouro, 20h – Siba (PE) + Roberto Corrêa (DF) / Cega Machado (GO)
Bolshoi Pub, 22h – Ricardo Koctus (MG) / Detetives (SP) / Johnny Suxxx and Fucking Boys (GO)
Metrópolis, 22h – The Name (SP)/ Sapatos Bicolores (DF) / Bang Bang Babies (GO)

Sexta-feira, 27/11:
Centro Cultural Martim Cererê, 18h :

Supersuckers (USA) / Móveis Coloniais de Acaju (DF) + Bocato (SP) / MQN (GO) + Walverdes (RS)
Devotos (PE) / Guiso (Chile) / Vivendo do Ócio (BA) / Punch (GO) / Milocovik (SP) / Volver (PE) / Rinoceronte (RS)
O Melda (MG) / Sattva (GO) / Hellbenders (GO)

Sábado, 28/11:
Centro Cultural Martim Cererê, 18h :

Dirty Projectors (USA) / Black Drawing Chalks (GO) + Chuck Hipolitho (SP) / Mama Rosin (Suíça)
Porcas Borboletas (MG) + Paulo Patife (SP) / Los Lotus (ARG) / Mugo (GO) / The Backbiters (GO)
As Mercenárias (SP) / Mechanics + Grupo EmpreZa (GO) / Confronto (RJ) / GrimSkunk (Canadá)
Cassim & Barbária (SC) / Mini Box Lunar (AP) / Evening (GO)

Domingo, 29/11:
Centro Cultural Martim Cererê, 18h :

Diego de Moraes e o Sindicato (GO) + Astronauta Pingüim (RS) / Violins (GO) / Domá da Conceição (GO) / Barfly (GO)
Naquele Tempo (GO) / Torre de Jamel (GO) / Terrorista da Palavra (GO) / Umbando (GO) / Grace Carvalho (GO)
20h30 – Gloom (GO) / Cine Capri (GO) / Hot and Hard Co. (GO)

Centro Comunitário Goiânia Viva, 18h :

Face a Face (GO) / Ivo Mamona (GO) / Soldados Suburbanos (GO) / Reverso da Moeda (GO) / Linha Dura (MT)
U Plano (GO) / Eko (GO)

INGRESSOS

Fiction Club, Capim Pub, Bolshoi Pub e Metropolis: R$ 10,00 (meia-entrada) até o dia 20/11

Martim Cererê (sexta e sábado): R$ 20,00 (meia-entrada) até o dia 20/11

Centro Comunitário do Goiânia Viva: R$ 5,00

Martim Cererê (domingo): Grátis!!!

Teatro Madre Esperança Garrido e Goiânia Ouro: Grártis!! Mas é preciso retirar os ingressos 2 horas antes dos shows! Um par por pessoa, ok??

had a chance to hang with eddie spaghetti from the supersuckers for a minute and shoot one of their shows.   lots of energy.  they were good – in fact, according to them, they’re the “greatest rock n’ roll band in the world.”

check out their website HERE

and their wikipedia HERE

Supersuckers

Por primera vez en la Argentina “the greatest rock-n-roll band in the world”, los SUPERSUCKERS. La banda viene a presentar su último disco “Get It Together” apenas unos meses después del exitoso show de Eddie Spaghetti en Buenos Aires.

La banda se presentará en el marco de Scatter Fest 2009 junto a The Tormentos, Satan Dealers, Los Primitivos y Los Lotus en The Roxy Live Bar [Niceto Vega, 5510 - Palermo, Capital Federal] el sábado, 21 de Noviembre, 21hs. Entradas a la venta en: Ticketek AQUI

THE GREATEST ROCK N’ ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD

Crecidos entre los callejones sin salida y las espinas de cactus de Tucson, Arizona, emigraron a Seattle -solo porque hacia suficiente frío para usar sus camperas de cuero la mayor parte del año- a fines de los 80 donde sin saberlo se convertiría en la “Rock Mecca USA”.

Firmando su debut en 1992,“The Smoke Of Hell”, para Sub Pop Records de un total de tres discos de rock y uno de country “Must’ve Been High”, y dos split singles con Steve Earl y The Reverend Horton Heat. Luego de pasar por Interscope con el que lanzaron su masterpiece “The Evil Powers Of Rock-n-Roll” a fines de 1999, iniciaron su propia discográfica Mid-Fi Records. Con ella decidieron tomar finalmente el control de todos sus asuntos y convirtiéndose en una maquina totalmente independiente de “rock-n-roll”.

Todo esto tocando alrededor del mundo sin parar y compartiendo escenario con bandas como Mudhoney, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Ramones, Motorhead, The Toadies, The Butthole Surfers, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Dwarves, White Zombie y Pearl Jam. También han tocado como banda para Willie Nelson en The Tonight Show. Su música ha aparecido en programas de T.V. (Beverly Hills 90210, Viva La Bam, Simple Life, Road Rules Challenge, Real World), películas (Baseketball, Hype) y comerciales (Mountain Dew).

A lo largo de todo ese tiempo, su única misión ha sido crear y tocar, música de calidad, mostrando su trabajo a tantas personas como sea posible. La búsqueda de aquel momento perfectamente imperfecto “rock-n-roll”. Han estado haciéndolo muy bien durante más de una década y siente que recién han comenzados.

“Get It Together” es por lejos el más asombroso disco grabado por la banda. Bajo la producción de Billy Joe Bowers, quien también grabó el EP “Paid”, la banda nunca ha sonado tan bien. Una de las razones por la cual esas 12 nuevas sólidas canciones suenan tan bien es por la incorporación de Scott Churilla como nuevo baterista, quién fuera baterista de The Reverend Horton Heat por más de 10 años.

Prepárense que Supersuckers es sin duda uno de los mejores shows en vivo de rock que se puedan ver hoy en día. 100% rock de alta performance, honesto y ass-kicking.

Algunos momentos gloriosos para la historia del rock-n-roll:
Tocaron en “The Tonight Show” con Willie Nelson.
Participaron de Woodstock 2000.
Participaron de Reading/Leeds festivals.
Extensas tours alrededor de todo el mundo incluido Russia, Japan, Australia, etc.
Grabar con Eddie Vedder de Pearl Jam, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, Kelley Deal y The Breeders.
Tours con Pearl Jam, Ramones, Social Distortion, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Kelly Clarkson, 50 Cent, Neil Diamond, “usted nombrelo que ya han tocado con el!”
Testimoniales de the Supersuckers:

“If you don’t like the Supersuckers, you don’t like Rock-N-Roll.” -Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead

“They played my birthday party. They rock!” -Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam

“Every time I hear the word ‘Supersucker,’ I’m reminded of an older gentleman who went into the strip bar and the hooker c’m dancing up to him and said ‘Superpussy!’ and he said ‘Soup, please.’” -Willie Nelson

“Supersuckers…I love the Supersuckers, our whole band loves you guys!” -Robin Zander from Cheap Trick

“The Supersuckers understand that great rock and great country are, at least on a spiritual level, exactly the same thing. Rock on, boys.” -Steve Earle

“Stop listening to the radio and buy a Supersuckers cd fool!” -Mike Ness

“The Supersuckers rock ferociously whenever they feel like it and what really matters is ending this sentence with an exclamation point!” -Little Steven Van Zandt, E Street Band, Little Steven’s Underground Garage
Supersuckers en Argentina en el marco del Scatter Fest 2009 junto a The Tormentos, Satan Dealers, Los Primitivos, Los Lotus en The Roxy Live Bar [Niceto Vega, 5510 - Palermo, Capital Federal]. Sábado, 21 de Noviembre, 21hs Entradas a la venta en (muy pronto) Ticketek

Links web:
Supersuckers: http://www.supersuckers.com
Scatter Records: http://www.scatter.com.ar – http://www.myspace.com/scatterrecords
The Tormentos: http://www.myspace.com/thetormentos
Satan Dealers: http://www.myspace.com/satandealers
Los Primitivos: http://www.myspace.com/losprimitivos
Los Lotus: http://www.myspace.com/loslotus

Throughout these, my older years (I’ll be 33 on Monday), I have incurred a longing for the twang of country music. Let’s be realistic, though, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood & the like are far from the country music our fathers grew up with. No I’m talking Johnny Cash, Hank Williams & Willie Nelson style country. Something with a steel guitar & a little accent just get’s me going, love it. So how do I reconcile this with my love of rock music?

Should I have to? In a sense, I shouldn’t. They are not as diametrically different as one would think. It’s safe to say that the Alt-Country movement that is flourishing today is an offshoot of those country artists with an injection of Classic Rock infused into it.  The best is when an artist who isn’t typically country decides to “go country” for an album. Bob Dylan did it, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones & the Beatles even dabbled with a few songs.

That twang is the sound that many artists were raised on & for some reason country music has gotten away from it. It has developed a pop sound that has less to do with the quality of the music but more with the look of the artist as a fresh crop of blond hair/blue eyed young ingenues make their debut on the country circuit which no longer involves seedy dive bars with chicken wire. Here’s a few songs by artists that played the twang to devastatingly great effects.

You Ain’t Going Nowhere – The Byrds

Jackson – Johnny Cash & June Carter

Evangeline – The Band & Emmylou Harris

Act Naturally – The Beatles

Dead Flowers (Acoustic) – The Rolling Stones

Chin Up, Cheer Up – Ryan Adams

Grey While Gone – The Small Sounds

Roadworn & Weary – Supersuckers

Tennessee Stud – The Little Willies

One More Night – Bob Dylan

It’s been way too long since I have updated this, so I’ll just go ahead and say I’ve got nothing to say for myself, except that laziness got the best of me. It’s been a pretty good summer, and school is coming near again. These are few images from some of the stuff I’ve been able to shoot these last few months.

These are just a few from a couple of hours spent photographing and recording audio for a story that the Ball State Daily News did on the event that day.

The whole story can be found here: http://files.bsudailynews.com/MotorCross/index.html

It’s an interesting bunch of people that come together not only for small town fair’s, but also the camaraderie between riders and fans alike.

This is the Supersuckers. If you don’t know who they are, find out. They played a local bar here, and I was lucky enough to be able to photograph and see them in a small venue without a huge crowd full of idiots.

Westside Park is one of the few places that people can go in this town to find a decent pickup game of basketball. I had the opportunity to go and photograph and record audio to do a story on some of the guys that hang out there. I thought it turned out pretty nice.

The audio slide show can be seen here: http://apps.bsudailynews.com/files/WestsidePark/index.html

I think that will do it for now, and keep an eye out for more soon.

Here is the link to http://www.posterbomb.com for all of your Lowbrow art , books , rock posters , concert posters , pinstriping art , art prints & More!

Thanks for stopping in.
What you are going to see on this site is what has taken us years to culminate. As avid collectors of low brow, kustom kulture art and music, we thought, through the years, how difficult it has been trying find the things we need to scratch our proverbial itch. Enter, Poster Bomb. You will find this site to be very eclectic. All of the art is original, much of it limited release. Due to the nature of what we will offer you, the inventory will change frequently, and once it is sold, we will usually be unable to provide that particular piece again.
The art we offer is from artists that practice in many mediums; some are tattoo artists, some woodworkers, some metallurgists, and many cross those boundaries and defy categorizing. We have poured our heart and soul into trying to make this the newest in new, a place with a rotating inventory that will keep you on the edge of sensory overload. While we all here at Poster Bomb have put a piece of ourselves into the development, or birth, of our brainchild, we owe it all to the inspiration we have received from these artists. As hard as it has been to collect, it will be harder to part with what has taken years to acquire. Lastly, we owe our future successes to you, the individual, the tattoo artist, his client, the hot rodder, the bike builder, the musician, the person voraciously searching for what seemingly can never be found….until now. Enjoy browsing, and come back often. Welcome to POSTER BOMB!

Check out some of this awesome stuff from http://www.PosterBomb.com

NEW POSTER PRINTS ADDED FROM SCOTT FISK

(4) new limited edition poster prints from Hot Rod illustrator Scott Fisk. All poster prints are signed, numbered, and printed on 80# poster size stock, perfect for framing or you can hang em in the garage next to your ride. Check out more of Scott’s Hot Rod Art at www.car-tooner.com.

My friend Rockula had a stint as the road manager for the legendary Reverend Horton Heat on one of their early 90s tours.  He’s got a photo album full of pictures from their travels, one of which shows the Rev onstage with his trademark Gretsch guitar, and a Supersuckers T-shirt on, as the ‘Suckers were opening for Horton Heat on that tour.  Rockula got an identical Supersuckers shirt, which I now own.  Thus was my introduction to the band that played country-punk before country-punk was cool.

The Supersuckers have been around for-eeevveerrr – since 1988, to be exact.  They were the Southwestern rockabilly-infused answer to the grunge explosion, touring with bands from Mudhoney to White Zombie and making a name for themselves in certain circles.  They’ve always hovered in superstardom’s peripheral vision, playing with big names like Willie Nelson, Steve Earle, Kim Deal and Eddie Vedder.  They’ve built up a formidable resume without ever really hitting the big time: these guys are  in it for the love of the game, man.  Rumor has it that their live shows are still heaps of fun; I’m thinking of breaking my “no more shows by bands that are 15 years past their prime” diet and going to this one.

Deets ahoy!  The Supersuckers are playing on Wednesday, July 22nd (my weekends are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so I may be able to swing this without altering my work schedule – that’s the service industry for ya), at the Granada Theater.  Tickets are $14 for general admission (mosh pit!), and $18 for chairs (come on, how not fun would sitting be for a show like this?)  Opening are Speedealer (aren’t they the band that used to be called REO Speed Dealer before REO Speedwagon got their panties in a bunch and made them change it?) and The American Fuse.  Click it for tickets.

My gift for you today is the Supersuckers serving as Willie Nelson’s backing band during a 1996 Tonight Show appearance.  ‘Suckers singer Eddie Spaghetti says that before this show, he and Willie went and toked up on what Willie described as “the shit that killed Elvis“; as a result, everyone in this video, presumably besides Jay Leno,  is baked off their gourd.  Enjoy the greatness.

Spaghetti Family Holiday Tour 2009

Es gab Zeiten, da gingen die Supersuckers keinem Trink Gelage aus dem Wege und auch keinerlei illegalen Rauschmitteln. Das brachte die Band um Bandleader und Mastermind Eddie Spaghetti nicht nur in diverse Entzugskliniken und Programme, sondern auch zurück auf den Boden der Tatsachen: Rock´n´Roll ist ein Geschäft und ein Beruf und dem muss man Rechnung tragen, erst recht wenn man sich „World’s Greatest Rock’n'Roll Band “ nennt. ( … und so ist es nur gut, wenn der „Chef“ mittlerweile mit einem Glas Bier den ganzen Abend über auskommt).

Tja und wenn man dann mal Urlaub vom Job hat, dann rockt man eben SOLO und nennt seine Tour: „The Spaghetti Family Holiday Tour 2009“ und spielt seine Songs in kleinen bis mittleren Clubs, während die Ehefrau und der 6 jährige Sohn am Merchandise ausharren, bis die Show von Papa vorbei ist.

Eddi Spaghetti, der bei seiner Band sonst den Bass bedient, lässt an diesem Abend nichts anbrennen und lässt das Publikum nach jedem Song tantramässig „cha cha cha yeahr!!!“ skandieren, was natürlich die Stimmung hebt und den „Mitmachfaktor“ ankurbelt. Eigentlich wäre solcher Kirmesschabernack gar nicht nötig, denn Eddi ist und bleibt eine coole Bühnensau, der mit Gitarre und Sonnebrille bewaffnet lässig durch sein Programm pflügt. Er schöpft dabei aus seinen beiden tollen countryfizierten Soloveröffentlichungen „The Source“ und „Old One No.2“ ebenso wie aus dem Meilenstein – Country Album der Suckers „Must’ve Been High“. Dazu ein paar Coverversionen, u.a.„Sea of heartbreak“, was allerdings ziemlich dürftig daher kommt- und fertig ist die Setliste.

Eddie Spaghetti ist kein begnadeter Gitarrist und ein ums andere Mal vermisst er schmerzlich seinen Suckers Sologitarristen Rontrose Heathman, aber er ….   >>> hier weiterlesen

Wish i was there, but i will be in spirit – love you joey – thank you for the music, the perserverance, inspiration and the ever gentle spirit you portrayed.

http://www.joeyramone.com/

http://www.officialramones.com/

Birthday rememberance 19th may 2009

Have a great weekend kids!

Convergence can be a wonderful thing.  Most of life depends on matters of convergence, on being in the right place at the right time, on the intersection of events.  Think about the things that have happened in your life – the jobs you’ve had, the people you’ve loved, the memories you’ve made… all of these are products of convergence.

Yesterday was my birthday.  One year closer to the day I can walk around without pants and claim senility as an excuse.

Yesterday was also the Brew-B-Que Festival here in Austin.  Great music, local breweries, and some of the best BBQ joints gathered at Waterloo Park.

Convergence can be a wonderful thing.

Shawn Sahm and the Tex-Mex Experience were a lot of fun to listen to, and they even covered one of Doug Sahm’s songs (“She’s About A Mover” by the Sir Douglas Quintet).  We wandered over to catch Patrice Pike playing at the other stage and enjoyed that.  The County Line BBQ served a great turkey sandwich.  Waterloo Park was a beautiful setting and the weather was just great.

But all of those good things were just a prelude to 6:45, when The Supersuckers took the stage and tore up an hour and a half set.  I mean, I knew they were good, I’ve listened to their albums countless times and watched videos of live performances, but wow.  It was an incredible show that rocked the hell out of us.  When they call themselves the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world they aren’t kidding.

Then, to cap it off, I got to talk to Ron “Rontrose” Heathman (one of the guitarists) and Eddie Spaghetti (bassist and vocalist).  They’re the two guys in the middle.  When my friend told them it was my birthday they both wished me a happy one.  Very friendly, down-to-Earth kind of guys who just also happen to be awesome musicians.

So, to recap: good food, good brew, good friends, beautiful park, incredible music, and rockstar birthday wishes.

Convergence can be a wonderful thing.

E&C asks, “Is This Racist?” The first in a recurring series that will recur whenever we get around to it.

* * *

August Wilson is a giant of American theatre. The late playwright won a couple of Pulitzer Prizes for his work, pretty much all of which centered on the realities of black American life in the 20th century. He died in 2005, reportedly having taken a stated insistence of his life — no white directors for any major productions of his work — with him to his grave.

This came up last week when the New York Times wrote about a new production of “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” which is the first Broadway version of a Wilson play to be directed by a white man.

Mr. Wilson being unavailable for comment, the Times writer spoke to Wilson’s widow (now the executor of his estate), who gave her blessing to the selection; black directors and actors who had understandably mixed feelings about it; and the chosen director, Bartlett Sher, a Tony Award-winning director who is, by all appearances, as white as the day is long.

So: Is this racist?

Is it racist that August Wilson — the son of a white father and black mother, who grew up in Pittsburgh and was driven out of homes and his high school (where he was apparently the only non-white student) by threats of violence; a man whose work one reviewer described as “a searing inside account of what white racism does to its victims”; and whose hyper-rare position as a prominent black playwright gave the opportunity-slash-responsibility to help other blacks struggling for work in his field — insisted on blacks directing his plays?

And/or… Is is racist that the white dude who runs Lincoln Center hired another white man to direct a Wilson play?

The question was posed to the E&C panel. Responses are as follows:

The Mighty Applesauce: Can we get some background on the dude? If he’s a white-as-white-can-be white boy — filling to the brim with all sorts of whiteness — then I’d say, respect the work of the playwright. If, however, he’s on some 2002 Jason Williams/Sacramento Kings crossover shit, I’d have to reconsider. Directing is about understanding. If he has the depth to truly understand the play due to various life experiences, it might be worth giving him a shot. Then again, that opens up the whole “does the color of your skin explicitly determine your true understanding of racial experience” can of worms. 

I vote maybe on letting him direct because this is a swing blog. 

Oh wait, you asked, “Is racist?”

And I vote, “I don’t think so,” per the initial topic of discussion.

I got a sunburn. I’m going to go direct a play about Manifest Destiny from the perspective of the Algonquins. Is that racist?

Khalid Salaam: I say yes. I respect the work of August Wilson and understand his point of wanting to have only Black directors handle his plays, but if the guy his wife has selected is a worthy and talented director who understands the nuances of early 20th century Black life, then I say go ahead. How can anyone deny him simply because he’s White? It’s pretty outrageous if you ask me. This is nothing more than a non-sensical double standard.

Russ Bengtson: I’m with Khalid on this one. If it was the other way ’round, and a white writer demanded only white directors, hello shitstorm. Not that it isn’t a valid desire, but hey, in a world where the Supersuckers covered “Hey Ya”…

… anything can happen.

On a side note, I can’t wait for Stephen Soderbergh’s Malcolm X starring Tobey Maguire.

Max Airington: My initial concern before reading the article was not whether a white director could capture Wilson’s vision, but whether a white director was taking yet another opportunity from a black director. I’m hardly familiar with Broadway’s hiring practices, but after reading the article, it appears my concerns weren’t unfounded. I don’t consider it racist — or even reverse racist — that Wilson wanted black directors for his plays, as I’m sure that whatever opportunities are lacking for blacks in the theater industry today were certainly worse during his time. His plays were written about black experiences and should ensure a black director a chance.  

Furthermore, it seems that while Sher is certainly a talented director, in this case his willingness to “collaborate” is due to his being, well, white. I respect the fact that he’s willing to listen and learn, but the question has to be asked whether a black counterpart would have to be “taught” such things. This isn’t to say that a black director couldn’t be just as clueless and twice as stubborn since they’re supposed to “know” black folks, but it seems less likely, no?  

So I don’t think Wilson himself was racist, and it’s impossible for me to know Lincoln Center’s intentions in appointing Sher. However, I do know that while Ms. Romero is solely concerned with the “quality of work”, it seems that either no one is applying that standard to hiring black directors, or they simply think black directors aren’t capable of producing quality work. Again, not necessarily racist, but disappointing nonetheless.

Farmer Jones: Reading about Wilson, it’s hard for me to blame him for the way he felt. Dude had the baggage of being mixed, of being brought up in a part of the country not traditionally known for its racial tolerance, and he apparently managed to channel whatever rage he felt into some amazing dramatic work. If he held onto this one symbolic gesture, which apparently was about helping black directors (as opposed to shunning white ones), I can’t really be mad.

As for Lincoln Center, I think Khalid said it: Is dude qualified? The Tony Awards say yes. Assuming they’ve a) produced “black” shows and b) hired some black directors to do non-”black” plays (and I don’t have a sense of their track record, having let my Playbill subscription run out), it’s hard to be mad.

The E&C Concensus: This is probably not racist either way, but all of us would like to see Michael Steele direct the next GOP production of, “The Voting Rights Act Is About to be Come and Gone, Too, Buddy.”

ah the redemptive power of rock and roll and good ol’ boy country drinking music….

after a weekend light on entertainment but heavy on cheap vin rouge, champagne and a horrific concotion snappily titled ‘assisted suicide’ (one part rum, one part jagermeister, cheeky dash of coke, speedy loss of faculties) and sweatbox four hour car journey home next morning this was so fucking necessary.

hats, denim, leather, hair, tattoos, wallet chains, sleazy looking women and sideburned men.  it was all there on show, representing some kind of greasy country / garage rock fashion timeline through the ages.

some gnarled dude asked ‘would i shave my balls for this?

the answer would be a resounding yes.

the supersuckers are simply one of the great rock and roll bands (to almost quote their own chewy hyperbole).  like the best goddam bar band you’ll ever see.  though i say the same thing about the detroit cobras.  but it’s true. all of it.  if you’ve never heard them before imagine some grotesque bastard child of reverend horton heat, steve earle and lynyrd skynyrd. 

kind of.  but not really.

it’s just rock and roll stupid.  but not stupid rock and roll.

well kind of.  not really.

like mudhoney but with willie nelson and not the stooges smeared all over them.

i could listen to the sacrilicious (ah the wordsmith in me digs this…) sounds of the supersuckers any time of the day, any day of the week, any week of the month, any month of the year ad infinitum.  frankly they were sub pops last great signing.

supersuckers: born with a tail

anyway live they do an acousticky country thang mid-set, sandwiched deliciously between stomping fuzzy fingers in the air strammash.  we get a smattering from most of the records and it’s all good, grand, testicularly entertaining.

was going to use the phrase rootin’ tootin’ but i’ve chickened out.  but fuck me (please don’t) if it wasn’t the perfect four tuborg cure for an excessive headache that is the weekend.   i like it all, man.

if i have one complaint (and i rarely do) it’s about the a-b-fucking-c. perennially murky sound at the start of every gig and whoever does the lights needs paddled, brained, unpleasantly buggered with whatever’s to hand. s’like some kind of seizure inducing japanorama videogame hell-version of close encounters of the third kind directed by peyote addled blindmen with nothing better to do than mash buttons. every fucking time with the perma- retina burn. least the band had the sense to kill the sonsofbitches.

oh and it was over way too bloody quick…

oh yeah and a bunch of sweet sounds from s-s records appearing here this week.  woo…

Some shots from the supersucker in the Limelight tonight

Supersuckers

Supersuckers

Just realised I’ve been neglecting this blog, must remedy that. I’ve actually been kinda busy doing other things and it’s not left me much time to spew out any random thoughts for posterity. The list includes:

• physio on the sprained ankle, which is now almost complete
• started running training again – 5.3k every morning!
• getting seriously into weight training at the gym
• some long cycles, like out to the Falkirk Wheel
• getting back into Warcraft (not at previous insane levels though)
• actually chilling out and reading, watching TV, etc

Nashville Pussy - if it ain't from Tennessee, it ain't worth shit

So yeah, I have an excuse. That list is going to get longer as well seeing as I have to start back at Muay Thai pretty damn soon seeing as the Thailand trip is only 12 weeks away, plus we potentially have a buyer for the flat so I’ll possibly be spending time looking at new properties and all the associated headaches which go along with that. Oh, and there’s a Taiko drumming workshop I want to go to. And the Supersuckers/Nashville Pussy gig. And the Alestorm gig at Studio 24 which is going to rock the piratical casbah. Oh yeah, there’s the Iron Maiden movie too, Flight 666. Speaking of movies I’ll be dropping past the Filmhouse to catch a few choice flicks at Dead By Dawn, although I’m not attending the whole event this year. That’s the weekend of the Great Edinburgh 10k Run too. And that’s all just in the next few weeks

Fucking hell, that’s a lot. Since when did I do so much stuff?

Also got another crazy idea in the works. I’d hoped to be able to run the Edinburgh half marathon last Sunday but my ankle wasn’t properly healed in time and I didn’t want to risk a worse injury so I had to sit it out. However my colleague mentioned that his brother in law frequently runs the Barra half marathon – aka the Barrathon – and that I should give it a shot. Well it’s unfortunately fully booked but it’s part of a Hebrides series which includes the Skye half on the 13th of June, I’m thinking that should be just about perfect. Hire a car, nip up there for a weekend of running and whisky with random strangers, what could be better?

Jesus. Getting tired just thinking about all that…

El fin de semana llega cargado de sonidos enérgicos, rocosos y frenéticos, llegados desde EE. UU. en el caso de Supersuckers  (vídeo de arriba) hoy viernes en la Salatal, y desde Madrid, en el caso de Muletrain mañana en la sala Four Seasons. Dos de los integrantes de La Habitación Roja, Mark Greenwood y Pau Roca, pinchan hoy en el Raspabar recién llegados de México. Hay concierto de la Festa per la Llengua hoy con Al Tall en el Auditori y mañana en La Pérgola, vuelve el Garden Music Club el domingo a Las Aulas; teatro, danza y hasta ópera de calidad en Vila-real, Benicàssim y Castellón. Y sigue la intensa programación de las V Jornades de Còmic de Castelló 2009, ComiCS_09.

Y, antes de las propuestas para el fin de semana, buenas noticias relacionadas con dos de los mejores grupos de Castellón.

Pleasant Dreams, en el South Pop Festival

El grupo castellonense Pleasant Dreams actuará en el South Pop Festival de Sevilla mañana sábado y el domingo en la Sala Zero de Tarragona, junto con Françoiz Breut. En el festival de su sello, Green Ufos, compartirán cartel nada menos que con Christina Rosenvinge, Russian Red y Kart Wagner de Lambchop. En estas dos actuaciones de presentación de su disco de debut, ‘Podría ser hoy’, Xavi Muñoz (Conecta 4, Hurry Kane y ex Litius) sustituirá temporalmente a los teclados a  Marta Berenguer. Y el 8 de mayo actuarán en la sala El Sol de Madrid junto a Underwater Tea Party. ¿Para cuándo la presentación en Castellón? Ya hay ganas ya. Arriba, “Camino de vuelta”.

Day Of Rising grabará su primer disco en Gales

Y otros castellonenses que apuntan alto, Day of Rising (foto de arriba), ya tienen fecha definitiva para grabar lo que será su esperado disco de debut después de un año preparando las composiciones, a buen seguro a base de enérgico y melancólico punk-pop, marca de la casa. Será en septiembre, en los estudios Longwave de Cardiff (Gales) y con el productor Romesh Dodangoda, responsable de grabaciones de grupos como Manic Street Preahcers, Funeral For A Friend o The Blackout.

PROPUESTAS PARA EL FIN DE SEMANA

VIERNES 3

18.00 y 19.30. Llotja del Cànem. Conferencia sobre la exposición de las V Jornades de Còmic de Castelló 2009, ComiCS_09, ‘¿Dónde está mi moto voladora? Anticipación tecnológica en la historieta de los años 50´ y posterior inauguración de la misma.

19.30. Sala Bancaja San Miguel. Inauguración de la exposición ‘Artesanos del fuego. Los vídrios de la Escuela de Nancy’. La muestra, que pertenece a la colección del Museo Art Decó y Art Nouveau de Salamanca, recoge una selección de 41 piezas y la recreación de un taller artesano y de un horno tradicional. Hasta el 31 de mayo. Entrada libre.

19.30. Teatre Payà de Burriana. XX Setmana Cultural del Centre Municipal d’Estudis Rafael Martí de Viciana. Concierto del quinteto valenciano Saxaes, integrado por cuatro saxofonistas y un percusionista. Entrada libre.

19.30. Galería Marcana de Vila-real (C/ Sant Roc, 52). Inauguración de la exposición del escultor y ceramista Marcelo Díaz sobre poesía y escultura.

20.00. Salatal de Vila-real. Concierto de las bandas norteamericanas de rock Supersuckers y Nashville Pussy. Uno de los cinco conciertos que ofrece la banda de Seattle en España dentro de su maratoniana gira europea. Rock de alto voltaje por partida doble, de Gibson en ristre, patillas largas y camisas a cuadros. Entradas: 22 euros anticipada (Discos Medicinales, Pub Distritz, El Refugi y Kulturalive y 26 en taquilla.

20.00. Cámara de Comercio de Castellón. Salón de actos. Ciclo Sonidos de la biodiversidad, organizado por la Fundació Caixa Castelló-Bancaixa. Concierto de la vocalista israelí de música sefardí Mor Karbasi. Entrada: 1 euros en el Edificio Hucha.

20.00. Auditori de Castellón. Inauguración de la exposición ‘El joc de la pintura’ de Adrià Pina. Entrada libre.

20.30. Teatre Principal de Castellón. IX Ciclo de Ópera. Representación de la ópera ‘Madame Butterfly’, de Giacomo Puccini, bajo la dirección de Sergio Kuhlmann, con Zhanna Vanat como soprano (Madame Butterfly), Lorenzo Mok como tenor (Pinkerton) y Juan de la Cruz como tenor (príncipe), y con orquesta y coros a cargo de la Compañía Lírica del Mediterráneo. Tragedia que narra la historia de la joven geisha Gio Gio San, también llamada Madame Butterfly, que a finales del siglo XIX espera pacientemente junto a su hijo la llegada de su marido, un joven funcionario naval llamado Pinkerton que, sin embargo, tiene otros planes de futuro en EE. UU. La ópera, la más representada en teatros de todo el mundo, fue llevada al cine por David Cronenberg en 1993. Nueva representación mañana sábado a las 20.30. Entradas: 15-30 euros. 

21.30. Sala Japan de Vila-real. Segunda edición del Aguc Festival. Metal sin concesiones. Entrada: 6 euros.

22.30. Auditori de Castellón. Ciclo Accents. Concierto del grupo valenciano de folk Al Tall, que presentará el disco ‘Vergonya, cavallers, vergonya’, inspirado en las palabras que pronunció Jaume I cuando retaba el honor de los caballeros que no se decidían a seguir adelante en el inicio de la batalla de Portopí durante la conquista de Mallorca, según relata el ‘Llibre dels fets’. El repertorio gira entorno a la obra del conquistador con motivo del 800 aniversario de su nacimiento, celebrado el año pasado. Entrada: 20 euros.    

23.00. Auditori de Vila-real. Concierto de la cantante de jazz estadounidense Rene Marie. Entrada: 5 euros.

23.00. Raspa Bar. DJ’s Mark Greenwood y Pau Roca, bajista y guitarra de La Habitación Roja, respectivamente. Recién llegados de su gira mexicana, donde han tenido nueve fechas, la última de ellas el pasado sábado en Teotihuacán (México), en el Festival Música para los Dioses. De nuevo, el pub de la avenida Capuchinos de Castellón se trae a dos de los representantes más insignes de la escena independiente valenciana para que saquen brillo a sus platos. Entrada libre.

SÁBADO 4

20.00. Sala Four Seasons. Concierto del grupo madrileño de punk-rock Muletrain (vídeo de arriba), que presentará su nuevo disco, Crashbeat, 13 canciones que se mueven entre la velocidad, la inmediatez y la mezcla de punk, hard core y rock&roll con nuevos matices (guitarras surf, coros de chicas…). Potentes y con un directo abrasador, puro estilo Turbonegro. Entrada: 6 euros.

20.00. Pub D’Leyend. Actuación de Chron-X y David Valdés. Doble ración de metal desde Tarragona. Ambos volverán a Castellón el próximo 8 de mayo al pub Averno. Entrada:

20.00. Pub Averno. Concierto de Dry River.

22.00. Sala Japan de Vila-real. Concierto de los conocidos grupos locales Local 23 y Panegírico al Legado junto con la banda madrileña de rock Carolina del Sur. Entrada: 6 euros.

22.30. Salatal de Vila-real. Concierto del grupo punk madrileño Envidia Kotxina. Entradas: 10-12 euros.

23.00. Auditori de Vila-real. La compañía Ananda Dansa representa ‘El circo de la mujer serpiente’, en la que se recrea una fauna colorista de personajes rescatados de las fieras ambulantes. Un espectáculo transgresor que invita a reflexionar sobre la difreencia a través de la sorpresa y de la risa. Entrada: 10 euros.

23.00. La Pérgola. Festa per la Llengua. Festival Itinerant de Música en Valencià La Gira, con la actuación de los grupos Sva-ters, Aspencat y Malsana Ska. Entrada libre.

DOMINGO 5

12.30. Jardín del Centro Cultural Las Aulas de la Latinidad. Ciclo Garden Music Club, organizado por Castellón en Vivo. Concierto del grupo vila-realense de rock Ultimabala. Segunda entrega del ciclo musical de grupos locales al aire libre Garden Music Club que, tras el éxito del concierto de Local 23, llega de nuevo el primer domingo de cada mes de primavera, y que siempre es un buen plan: música en directo a plena luz del día y servicio de bar. Hoy le toca el turno al ganador del VII Concurso Castellón en Vivo, Ultimabala, con su potente rock de toque sureño y sus contundentes actuaciones en directo. Sonido clásico y de Gibson Les Paul. Entrada libre.

19.30. Teatre Municipal de Benicàssim. La compañía de teatro Egos Teatre representa el espectáculo ‘Rudigore o la Nissaga Maleïda’ (arriba, vídeo de presentación), un singular musical galardonado con el premio San Miguel 2008 del festival de teatro de calle Fira Tàrrega. Entradas: 3 euros.

Portada del disco...

Ladies & gentleman (como diría el gran Javier Gurruchaga) con todos ustedes “La banda más grande de Rock ‘n’ Roll del mundo”. Así se autdenominan el grupo del que os voy a hablar hoy:  Supersuckers (que vendría a ser “Supermamones” en español).

Aunque para el gran público pueden ser unos grandes desconocidos, llevan desde 1988 en el mundo de la música, así que pocas cosas les quedan ya por demostrar a estas alturas. Para situaros un poco, Supersuckers también pertenecía al sello de moda de principios de los noventa (que por supuesto no es otro que Sub Pop), aunque elllos no consiguieron ese éxito masivo que lograron otras bandas del mismo sello por dos motivos principalmente:

- Que su sonido era mucho más potente y punk que el resto de las bandas contemporaneas (menos comercial hablando claro)

- Y que tan pronto hacían punk rock como country, lo que provocaba que la gente no supiera muy bien en que estilo se desenvolvía la banda

Aun así, siguen en la brecha y hace poco han publicado su último disco (bajos us porpio sello “Mid-Fi Records”) titulado “Get it Together!”, tal vez un poco más sosegado que el que hoy nos ocupa. “Motherfuckers Must Be Trippin´” es un disco que me parece cojonudo, no se expresarlo mejor con otras palabras jaja.  Punk Rock del bueno que se abre con el temazo “Rock-N-Roll Records” que tiene un riff de guitarra realmente pegadizo. Tal vez una de las cosas que más me gustan del disco es que las canciones no son muy largas, suelen durar menos de tres minutos , lo que hace que las canciones no puedan ser repetitivas y ayuda a que el disco se escuche con agilidad y no tenga canciones que bajen el nivel general del disco. Otro temazo es “Pretty Fucked Up”. Me encanta la voz de Eddie Spagetti (cantante y bajista) en este tema, con un tono ronco que encaja perfectamente con este tema y por supuesto con el resto de cancions del grupo jeje.

Así que ya sabeis, si no habeis escuchado nunca a este grupo, os estais perdiendo a la banda de rock más grande del mundo. Casi nada.

Tracklist:

1. Rock-N-Roll Records (Ain’t Selling This Year)
2. Rock Your Ass
3. Pretty Fucked Up
4. The Fight Song
5. Bruises To Prove It
6. Bubblegum And Beer
7. Sleepy Vampire
8. A Good Night For My Drinkin’
9. Damn My Soul
10. Someday I Will Kill You
11. The Nowhere Special
12. Goodbye

Enlace al disco:

• Supersuckers – Motherfuckers Must Be Trippin’

Más sobre Supersuckers:

• Web oficial del grupo
• Myspace oficial
• Supersuckers (wikipedia)

August 27, 1991.  The music world floundered in a hazy mist of hair-metal and synth-heavy “alternative” music.

And then came Ten. 

Pearl Jam’s debut album (along with Nirvana’s Nevermind, released four weeks later) would set the course for a new era of guitar-driven music that did not apologize for its varied sources of influence and inspiration.

As brilliantly chronicled in the documentary Hype!, the Seattle “grunge” scene quickly took on mythical (and laughable) “importance”, which (sadly) took the focus away from the incredible music that Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden, along with other under-the-radar bands (like The Melvins, Supersuckers, & Mudhoney) produced during that time.

But history has a way of clearing all of that up.  And let’s go back to Ten.  Here’s what All Music Guide has to say about that album:

Nirvana’s Nevermind may have been the album that broke grunge and alternative rock into the mainstream, but there’s no underestimating the role that Pearl Jam’s Ten played in keeping them there. Nirvana’s appeal may have been huge, but it wasn’t universal; rock radio still viewed them as too raw and punky, and some hard rock fans dismissed them as weird misfits. In retrospect, it’s easy to see why Pearl Jam clicked with a mass audience — they weren’t as metallic as Alice in Chains or Soundgarden, and of Seattle’s Big Four, their sound owed the greatest debt to classic rock. With its intricately arranged guitar textures and expansive harmonic vocabulary, Ten especially recalled Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. But those touchstones might not have been immediately apparent, since — aside from Mike McCready’s Clapton/Hendrix-style leads — every trace of blues influence has been completely stripped from the band’s sound. Though they rock hard, Pearl Jam is too anti-star to swagger, too self-aware to puncture the album’s air of gravity. Pearl Jam tackles weighty topics — abortion, homelessness, childhood traumas, gun violence, rigorous introspection — with an earnest zeal unmatched since mid-’80s U2, whose anthemic sound they frequently strive for. Similarly, Eddie Vedder’s impressionistic lyrics often make their greatest impact through the passionate commitment of his delivery rather than concrete meaning. His voice had a highly distinctive timbre that perfectly fit the album’s warm, rich sound, and that’s part of the key — no matter how cathartic Ten’s tersely titled songs got, they were never abrasive enough to affect the album’s accessibility. Ten also benefited from a long gestation period, during which the band honed the material into this tightly focused form; the result is a flawlessly crafted hard rock masterpiece.

The core members of the band (Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, & Mike McCready) have carved out an amazing legacy beyond their original debut, with seven additional studio albums, countless tours and live albums, solo projects, and a resume that’s a lock for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame once they become eligible.

Currently recording their ninth full-length album, the band is taking some time to revisit the past with a deluxe reissue of Ten.  Available this week in four formats (including a Super Deluxe Edition that outdistances a collector’s wildest imagination), it provides a great opportunity to reflect on a band that does not need magazine covers or MTV exposure to validate its existence as one of the most essential (and eminently listenable) of our generation.

In honor of the four versions of the re-release, I’m offering up four links of equal relevance.  Sure, that’s a little gimmicky, but these links are worth your while, so I’m willing to do whatever it takes for you to click through.

The first of these provides a track-by-track review of the remixed versions of the songs on the Ten re-issue, along with the new (previously unreleased) material, as detailed by the Ottawa Sun.  Unsurprisingly, the package rates 5 stars out of 5.

Naturally, the band has been doing some press for the new edition, and the second link takes you to a Billboard Q&A with Pearl Jam bassist and co-founder Jeff Ament.  This is a well-done interview by the always insightful Jonathan Cohen.

The third link is an MSN Music interview with Ament, this time by the esteemed writer Alan Light.

And, finally the “reluctant rock star” Eddie Vedder agreed to an interview with Newsweek that helps humanize the oft-misunderstood Pearl Jam frontman.

Greatest American rock band ever?  Short answer – yes.  Relive Ten and catch yourself up on everything else you may have missed since then. 

And enjoy the ride as Pearl Jam continues its trek with a new album and tour later this year.

A solid, if not spectacular evening out at CMW. To start with, Rancho Relaxo, and a band I knew nothing about, Mothers Fathers. Female violinist, sincere lead singer, songs not quite there, dramatic moods, Shearwater minus some of the intensity and a dude named Thor; still opening band material. Next up, and the reason I was there: Sprengjuhollin, a fun-loving Icelandic act with a crazy keyboardist, umlauts over the “o”, nifty pop songs, and good jokes. No one who sees these guys doesn’t come away a fan.

Gladstone Hotel, 11 p.m.: Japandroids, the Vancouver two-piece currently exploding all over Pitchfork for its song “Young Hearts Spark Fire”. Awesomeness; phenomenal energy and Husker Du-ish tunes.

Lee’s Palace, midnight: Seattle rock ‘n’ roll vets the Supersuckers are playing. However, the merch (a flask, belt buckles) is more interesting than the group’s performance, at least tonight. After an early set highlight with opener “Born With a Tail” (still the ’suckers’ finest moment), Eddie Spaghetti seems to be phoning it in.

Halfway through the set we leave, and come back to the hotel. Max Morgan is doing a tastefully acoustic set in the tastefully austere Library Room; his song “Secret” makes a positive impression, though in general he’s  a little too John Mayer for my taste (i.e., one of his songs has been picked up by Grey’s Anatomy).

Much more to my liking is Hannah Georgas, a Vancouver singer who comes on in the Library Room after Morgan. She sounds like Joanna Newsom, if Newsom wrote pop songs. Also, Georgas wouldn’t sound out of place in a mix after New Buffalo and before Joni Mitchell. Or maybe the other way around. Also, she has a song about the band the National (called, appropriately, “The National”). Also, she did a drop-dead killer version of Simple Minds‘ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”.

-SC

Aah, the murky mists of my deep blue funk have finally dissipated, I can once again see the world in all its foetid splendour. Why the turnaround? A few reasons really.

Firstly I fixed my bike last night – now it was hardly a mammoth repair job, I just needed to replace an inner tube but for me it was quite an accomplishment. I haven’t carried out any kind of bike maintenance, other than de-rusting and re-lubing the chain last week, since I had a paper round back in school, more than a decade and a half ago. Also I have nothing in the way of tools and one hand secured in a tubigrip to ensure that I don’t do anything stupid with it (like fixing bikes). Back in the day I had a pretty simple mountain bike and a racer, only a few gears each so wrenching the wheels off was a simple task – much more daunting these days with gears, cogs and all manner of springs festooning the frame. After a short struggle I had the wheel off, the old tube out, the new one inserted and inflated and the wheel back in place – ten minutes tops. I walked away feeling like my old man (in a good way!) and with hands so covered in oil it looked like I was wearing tight black gloves.

Dawes Mojave - This is how I roll...

This makes me happy. I have my bike again which means I can go on a wee spin this lunchtime and burn off the pounds of fat I no doubt accumulated, erm, yesterday. I also feel like I can Do Stuff and will be buying a book on bike maintenance so I can do even more – a good idea given the epic cycle plan for later this year.

Secondly I advertised my old electric guitar on Gumtree yesterday morning and instantly had a ton of emails cluttering my inbox. Most seemed exceedingly keen and were asking about year of manufacture, country of origin, etc. with no qualms about the £200 asking price. The guitar was a maple body 1978 Fender Mustang. Some people reading this may currently be spitting their coffee on their monitors and wondering whether I know what I’ve done – I get the feeling it was worth a lot more than that, especially given the fact that the highest bid ended up being £235. I don’t care though, I really don’t. I loved that guitar, it was a gift from my dad many moons ago and was a beautiful piece of kit but it just didn’t get used and that was a damn shame. Guitars are meant to be played, not looked at and certainly not locked away in storage units where you can’t even do that. It needed some work – the pots were a bit shoddy, there’s a slight warp in the neck, the bridge needs attention, no tremolo arm, many scratches – and I don’t have the skills or time to take care of it. Last night someone got a bargain and they’re either going to spend years playing it or will spend some time lovingly restoring it and selling it on for a hefty profit.

1978 Fender Mustang - Farewell, my lovely

This makes me happy. Everyone’s a winner, I now have enough cash to buy the camera I’m after and get tickets to Waiting For Godot, Supersuckers & Nashville Pussy, Richard Dawkins, the Iron Maiden movie and a random climbing film premiere my workmate is setting up at Ratho. Someone else has a new toy which they can either play with or sell on for more money, just as I did. The world is a better place.

(PSA – My Ashdown Electric Blue 130W Bass Combo is also up or sale if anyone’s interested…)

The last reason for my elevated mood is somewhat more whimsical. I was wondering around town on Sunday morning with some time to kill so I popped into Waterstones, ostensibly just for a look but knowing that I’d walk away with something. I ended up grabbing How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker because I’d been reading far too much fiction in recent weeks and needed something meatier to keep the grey matter ticking over. Last night I cracked it open and started skimming through the intro. Something seemed familiar. I flicked through the pages and paused at a few illustrations. Hmm. Checked the chapter headings.

I’ve read it before.

I own it already.

I was fooled by a different cover…

This makes me happy. The beautiful irony of the book’s title and the malfunctioning of my squishy onboard computer brought the biggest smile to my face. Also, flatmate Paige like that sort of thing so she can enjoy the book and then I can sell it on and put the proceeds towards something I haven’t already bought.

So yes, today sees a cheerier Cannonball. Got spending money, fruity oatcakes, a working bike, a birthday in two days, a gig in three. It’s all good.