Sandwich day.

Despite what you may think, this lovely view was not plucked from a travel brochure or photo site, but is the scene outside my window just now.  It's a nice, sunny fall day and we've switched up our normal get the hell out of town Thanksgiving plans and have instead opted to spend the week sleeping in, sitting around listening to records, reading and maybe tackle a project or two ¹.  Tonight is Sandwich Night, a holiday more meaningful than the one tomorrow and S is in the next room preparing.  It smells so festive.  And now, a random selection from this afternoon's playlist:

Towncraft (Richard Matson, 2007)

So much more fulfilling than American Hardcore or most other pastiche of talking heads styled tales of music scenes past.  Towncraft weaves a narrative around Little Rock, AR's punk scene which blossomed sometime in the late 80's.  That's no typo, by the way, as there was shockingly no underground music activity in the state before then, as the Discography can attest (putting 'Punk in Arkansas' on about the same timeline as 'punk in Central America').

Little Rock had a small, welcoming community full of kids going out of their way to make something happen.  The movie depicts an underground where every kid has a zine and probably a band, all hands are on deck running benefit shows and working towards something great.  After a couple of bigger bands left town, those who remained decided they needed to document what they had and worked together to issue a compilation album, "Towncraft".   Plenty of time was spent talking to members of Chino Horde and Soophie Nun Squad (which reminded me how much I dig Nate Powell's comics... I've got some catching up to do as he's continued to draw since I picked up my last). (Econochist were mentioned as one of the bands who split town  to move to the big city and get "signed" although the use of that term w/r/t Very Small and Ebullition seems a bit loaded).

Interestingly, one of the early punks on the scene was Matt Besser, who would move to Chicago and then New York (now LA) who would go on to found Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, which is very much a DIY enterprise and their philosophies are rooted in the punk scene ideals² .

The film has a great website which has a ton of info including scans of zines, including one in which Besser unkindly reviews Crucifucks "Wisconsin" (which, as everyone knows, is a fucking fantastic album).

N.O.T.A. "Live at the Crystal Pistol" LP (Prank)

I think this is NOTA's finest moment.  Originally released as their demo, this is blistering, raw hardcore captured in peak form.  I love the proper NOTA releases that followed, but "Crystal Pistol" has the rage turned up to 11 with the fidelity down around 7 (which is the correct formula for HC).  Curiously, the aforementioned Arkansas entry on the Collectorscum discography notes that NOTA guitarist Russell is an Arkansas native so this musical selection was a nice, unintended accompaniment.


John Waters "Role Models" book

I always find it interesting to get a glimpse into the mind of a genius—what turns them on and inspires their creativity.  Naturally, I knew this book was going to be a winner before I flipped it open, but Waters did one better.  With his essays, he presents a deeply personal autobiography by looking at his role models and how they fit into his life.  He avoids the obvious choices and goes with unexpected (Johnny Mathis) and obscure (pornographer of Marines, Bobby Garcia).  The book is well researched; Waters tracked down and talked to most of his role models, a process which lead to more questions than answers. He is forced to explore aspects of their lives he'd rather not and reconcile against the what he originally found inspiring.

I've got some new friends.

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¹ Fixed the drawers on our dresser so they open without a fight, addressed overflow of books by building some new shelving, etc.
² Saw Chris Rock & Aziz Ansari at Whiplash at UCB on Monday night for free.  It was great.

It's better that way.

Another post rescued from the obscurity of my drafts...unfinished, but better to put it out there than just delete.  We caught Jandek at the Flywheel in Easthampton, MA on October 1, 2011.

You May Not Get All The Answers You Want.
It's Better That Way.

The tail end of a rainstorm was lingering over Amherst when we arrived.  It was after noon on a Saturday, overcast and wet but not really raining anymore, so there was a bustle about town as people were starting to emerge and run errands.  As Sarah and I meandered around the region we noticed a buzz.  This is a small enough metropolis that nothing goes unreported on the gossip line and being out on the town is all it takes to be in the loop.  Over the last few days, we heard, The Representative From Corwood Industries¹ was seen at Whole Foods, eating in Amherst, and as we made our rounds he was currently in the middle of an extended rehearsal. Every few minutes, it seemed, we overheard yet another update as someone onsite made a call out to the world, or ventured in with word from the rehearsal. 

During the week leading up to Jandek's performance at the Flywheel, we'd theorized that we could be in store for anything.  Considering Western Mass has a population of local musicians into noise, experimental, and avante garde, it would most likely be some sort of loose jam.  Massive weirdness; formless songs.  We thought we'd figured out the mystery.

The band made their way to the stage at the exact time the show was advertised to start.  Each musician walked to their instruments, quietly fiddling with their gear for a moment before beginning as a unit.  Instantly, our expectations were shattered.  Jandek, it seems, was a more fluid and interesting project than we'd given credit. The Man in Black pounded away on a fretless bass.  He was accompanied by a pedal steel guitar, banjo, violin, and, on a few songs, female vocal counterpart.  Tonight's performance was good ol' country music.

Of course, Jandek playing country is still Jandek.  For two hours, the band played a set of structured, memorable songs full of distinct melodies, yet it was absolutely within the Jandek canon.  The sound was eerie, like a warbly, well-worn cassette of country tunes.  TRFCI's bangs on the bass provided a humming buzz. The band seemed to speed up or slow down unpredictably at times; displayed a surprising tenderness, especially when joined by Betsy Nichols on vocals; even showed a touch of humor, as when TRFCI (already wearing a Stetson) put on his glasses and sang, "A cowboy doesn't wear glasses"².

The set was mesmerizing and the mysterious loner at the center let on, just a bit, that after 30 years and twice as many albums, he may not provide any answers, but his vision is as robust and fascinating as ever.  Since emerging from the shadows he has performed a stunningly diverse series, approaching many genres with his distinct aesthetic voice.  And in doing so, his story has become more mysterious.  It's better that way.


¹Herein known as TRFCI.
²Or whatever the exact lyrics were...this is ballpark.

Play ball.

To celebrate the start of the baseball season I picked up four packs of Left Field Cards.  Beautiful and clever, these are ideal for folks trying to reconcile their inner seven year old baseball card obsessions with later in life design interests.  Besting Topps and Upper Deck in style, Left Field has thus far released two series thus far - the first depicting bizarre player injuries, the second players with edible names.  Brilliant.

Rid the Home.

A find among the many poison bottles at a recent antique mall trip.

A quick one to prove that I'm still alive at this late date. I'd had a couple of posts drafted last fall that never got finished and had the bright idea 'round January that they could be consolidated into some sorta year end yee-ha.  Now that the calendar has flipped into April I think it's 'bout time to clear the docket, quality be damned, in bullet point form:

• The Sex Bomb Archive, just one of the many endeavors that I procrastinate working on, had a string of daily updates during the recent advent season.  I'd love for the updates to run continuously, but my supply was exhausted and am currently in reload mode...so if you know of a Sex Bomb Sleeve, please send over to the address on that site.

• Listened to Vile "Solutions" LP last night.  I suppose the band's schtick has nagged me over the years, and where it was once a regular listen it has become harder to be enthusiastic about in my old age.  "They're just trying to piss people off" doesn't win me over quite the way it once did¹ but it didn't take more than a couple of revolutions to be instantly reminded just how impressive this is.  A seriously top tier HC gem from a group who by all accounts did not belong to any scene and existed in the margins...but they bested most of their scene contemporaries.

• Last summer's big reveal of the second section of The Highline was an overcrowded, well vendored², architectural delight. But to say that this particular park is worth a stroll is analogous to saying DiFaras³ is worth the trip: obvious. More interesting to me was the decision to leave--and prominently feature--this Revs/Cost piece.  With a small meadow and seating below, this is one of the few places to congregate without feeling pressure to keep up the pace.  It is, of course, the highlight of the park.
• Have you heard Tyvek yet?  The kids are raving.
• There's this, too.  I can't wait for out trip our to Detroit this summer.

• I've mentioned before that I adore ESPO so I will not belabor other than to say we swung by his beautiful Love Letter to Brooklyn and would encourage all to do likewise.

• Richard Serra's sculptures are miraculous, among the most impressive structures I've caressed.  His most recent entanglement, which ran last fall at Gagosian, may have been the most impressive that I've seen.  
• Like I said, quality be damned...another docket clearing post coming tomorrow, then back (beginning?) to business.

¹The number one google search of this album returns a page with a review that sums up how I felt about the record when it was still new to me.  I'm conflicted these days, but I think I stand by much of what I wrote then (aside from the writing itself, which is tough to read ten years later without the opportunity to edit mightily).
² Seriously, only the finest NYC food carts are featured but I do believe Blue Bottle Coffee ought to double their operation as the wait on the day of our visit was excruciating, and it would be just plain wrong to be within 10 blocks of a Blue Bottle operation without indulging.

³ 

end.

Summer is over.  Back to work.  

Sunday Playlist.

The Ones "Tightrope"

I threw on Staring Down the Barrel this afternoon which is mind-bogglingly good straight through but after hitting The Ones track I stayed there for a while, getting up to start it over a couple-two-tree times¹.  This song —listen here—ranks with The Dogs "Slash Your Face" or "Sonic Reducer" in the pantheon of monster riff air guitar jammers.  It loses points on the G45 scale for being a new discovery, thus no legacy, and on the P45² scale for having no pic sleeve, but on music alone it is absolutely one of the best.

"The Third Unheard: Connecticut Hip Hop 1979-1983" compilation (Stones Throw 2004)

I was fascinated to discover this collection of early CT hip hop. I shouldn't be surprised that this scene existed but when the "early hip hop" synapses fire in my mind I think "Bronx"—a specific locale as opposed to "New York" which often means "Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Long Island, Connecticut, Northern Jersey, & Westchester/Putnam/Orange Counties".  But here it is, proof positive that the scene had arms that reached outside of the borough borders.  This collection is centered around New Haven and Bridgeport, many songs touched by Mr. Magic, including the standout "Get Up (And Go To School)" by Magic's nephew Pookie Blow³ .  I will be petitioning The Hall of the Guitar Solo to include Pookie's kazoo solo as it deserves to be admired alongside "Band Aid" and "All Wasted".  In "Rappin' With Mr. Magic" he shouts out a roll call of cities around the state, including some towns that seem hard to imagine a vibrant scene of any sort, let alone graffiti/music (sorry, Ansonia).  Stylistically, the tracks featured here are very similar to their Bronx-born cousins: re-appropriated disco beats looped and rapped over; shout outs and hand claps; "c'mon party people...", "'til the break of dawn", "throw your hands in the air", and more of the cliche-yet-essential call-out lyrics that are, really, perfect.

Cider 1st EP (Non-Commercial Records 1994)

I picked up this spare a while back and wanted to give it one last spin before sending on to its new home.

Gary Glitter "Hello! Hello! I'm Back Again" 7"

A while back I was listening to this album of Post-Regiment demos.  It was mostly B- takes on their A+ songs, but tucked in was a cover of this Gary Glitter song.  After I couldn't get it out of my head for a week I decided to pick up a copy of GG's original.  So good.

_____

¹No typo, just thinking about Terre T's in studio interview with Veedee, which is one of the best.
²As I recall, this only existed in old emails unless one of the parties involved spun it out into the real world but was our toying around with the G45 scale to fit punk better...add a slash for pic sleeve, maybe another for early/late for the trend.  Actually, not sure if sleeveless helps or hurts the cause but I suspect that planned sleeve never distributed is a bonus.
³Pookie was apparently of no relation to Kurtis but I believe any confusion on that point was deliberate by PB and/or Magic.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night!!!

Right now I am:

a) Listening to X! Records "Shiftless Decay" compilation LP. Good record all around, especially on the tracks by Tyvek & Little Claw. Detroit is a curious place...I' don't think I've ever been to the city proper yet, S & I sometimes talk of it as a place to live. It has the right things going for it: cheap real estate = artist used real estate = venues, galleries, interesting happenings. Plenty of cool art and bands, many of whom are showcased on this album. We'd intended a detroit trip this summer but it'll have to be put off until next year.

b) Clearing out my reader. I've been away for most of the last week, out in Southern California. It was a great time: I love the region and couldn't even begin to recite the amount of cool shit we saw/did/etc. But I am behind in all things current, such as email, twitter-reading, blog-reading, so on. Bless the reader for collecting all of what I've missed out on. May I recommend recent posts by Shit-Fi, my man Zach Malfa-Kowalski, the brilliant photographer Sandy Kim (whose book is apparently out of print yet NOT on my bookshelf...please help if you can), oh, many more, but I'm a speed-reader tonight as I try to get caught up so no more recommendations.

c) Eating ice cream out of my baseball helmet.  Yes.  At the ballgames you can buy a helmet full of ice cream and I do.  Tonight the menu is mint-chip which is a sure-fire indication that the Gal is out of town as she'd never approve of my mint-chip choice.  Also, in her honor I've decided to make whipped cream, but I have no concept of what constitutes a "little bit" of vanilla as I obviously used "a lot".  Come home soon, please.

d) Thinking about Blank City, which I saw last night at Jacob Burns Film Center.  We'd initially been scared off by the thought of yet another film about the lower east side glory days, but I was pleased to find that this had a different slant and is focused not on the bands these folks were in, nor on the cable access shows they made, nor the articles they wrote.  I know about all of the above...but I am in the dark on their films, which are featured here.  Super 8 and lo-fi, sometimes narrative, sometimes not but seemingly always of interest.  I cannot tell a lie: I sat through most of the movie wondering what my movie should be.  No decisions have been made but stay tuned and drop a line if you want in.  It'll be HUGE.

e) Listening to Siggy Magic and the Hey-Ho Band on Smash the State V3 (I'm a slow writer...expect 2 or 3 more "listening to..." entries before this is over). Fucking Siggy Magic.  Brilliant.  Oh boy, I need it.  Please...somebody?

f) Still thinking about Blank City.  I love that John Lurie goes on record that he will always hate Basquiat for selling out and making money cool within their scene.  Also, Jarmusch's tale about dragging a sleeping-bagged JMB out of the camera's eye as he slept on the floor while JJ filmed Stranger Than Fiction.

g) Balancing household monies.  I am ahead.

h) Debating what to do tomorrow.  Today I missed out on: the films of Errol Morris at AMMI, Times New Viking in the park, Brown Sugar at the punk house, Psychedelic Horseshit at another punk house, Estrogen Highs in New Haven, the films of Lumet at Walter Reade.  What will I miss out on tomorrow? Psych HS is playing a free show, there are more Errol Morris films, etc but there is so much more cleaning to do at home.

i) Listening to "One Chord Punk Rock Song" by Da Slyme.  Canada's Urinals?  Last track on STS3, next album up is...

j) Listening to degenerates set off fireworks.  I fucking love it when degenerates set off fireworks.  Also, listening to Smash The State V2.  Did I mention that I'm sorting though comp LPs at the moment trying to decide which are keepers and which can go.  It's actually a tough decision as it comes down to a fundamental issue on the reissue comps: is it necessary to keep a comp that bootlegs multiple tracks from other comps but includes cuts otherwise unavailable?  It is the reference library vs. living space question. Usually, I am on the side of living space but with comps it is different.  And then my inner dialogue shifts..."Really, at this point, isn't this all available in shitty MP3 anyway?  Aren't your emotional ties to a vinyl refereance library of obscure punk rock by way of bootleg compilation outdated?"  No decisions have been made, but...

k) Getting tired.  Sick of the blog neglect and plenty more to come here but for now, g'night.