Fine Line: 'Stories' Section

Artwork Courtesy of the Boy-Child

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This list is a li’l done - I gots more later to add…come back and see for yourownselves….xxox

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It’s a pretty darn decent week/end at AllGood Cafe - like 3 strong shows that made me cut’n'paste photos of the performers above…oh…and yeah, that’s Hal Samples pictured with porterdavis cuz…well…he tooked the photo.

AllGood Cafe
Thursday - Mario Matteoli
Friday - Menkena
Saturday - porterdavis

Club Dada
Thursday - Salim Nourallah / Ringo Deathstar / Street Hassel / DJ Wild in the Streets
Friday - Frog Eyes / White Hinterland / Evangelicals
Saturday - Strange Boys / Coathangers

Double Wide
Thursday - PPT(?) / DJ Middlefinger
Friday - Nuthin’
Saturday - Dead Twins / Magnet School / Space Cadet
Sunday - The Feds / Underwater / The Better Death

Red Blood Club
Thursday - Naked and Shameless
Friday - ANS / Unit 21 / Rageous Bros. / Seasick / Zheia Golov / Stymie

Fallout Lounge
Thursday - Lost Generation w/Wanz Dover
Friday - The Fever w/DJ El Macho & DJ C MacPhie

City Tavern
Thursday - Southern Swing
Friday - Spector 45 / Goodwin / The Dirty Sound
Saturday - Southern Drive / Truckstop Junkies

Opening Bell
Thursday - Suzanna Choffel / Lang Freeman
Friday - Dylan Sneed / Ryan Thomas Becker / Isaac Hoskins
Saturday - Brian Miller / Local Honey / Carman Menza

The Loft
Thursday - The RZA as Bobby Digital
Saturday - Joshua James / Scott McCurry / Lex Land / Justin Townes Earl

The Palladium
Saturday - Eric Hutchinson / Marie Digby / Justin Nozuka
Sunday - Rilo Kiley / Thao with the Get Down Stay Down / Benji Hughes

Lee Harvey’s
Thursday - DJ Sista Whitenoise
Friday - DJ Chikki G / The Tidbits
Saturday - DJ Sista Whitenoise / The Mumbles
Sunday - DJ EZ Eddie D

House of Blues
Friday - Matthew Ryan vs The Silver State / Jon Dee Graham

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The uber-cool-uber-fab-uber-hip House on Swiss pulls another good’un outta their collective adorable arses….

Saturday, June 14th
House on Swiss
Via Audio / Verulf / Jukebox the Ghost
10 pm - BYOB

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The Cavern
Thursday - Soulever Lift / The Boss Level / The Triggermen / Austin Brown - ZOO: The Video DJ Upstairs
Friday - Farstar / The JGB / JJ & the Rouges / Demihuman - DJ Red Eye Presents “Beat Stew” Upstairs
Saturday Grand Ole Party / Red Monroe / Man Factory - ZOO: The Video DJ Upstairs
Sunday - Ricki Derek Upstairs

If I gushed anymore about Ryan Bingham, then I’d be plumb outta gush and I need to save a little for later. His show…not…to…miss.

Thursday, June 12th
Granada Theater
Ryan Bingham / Dead Horses / Southern Drive / The Dedringers
Doors at 7 pm - It’s almost Sold-Out so Get ‘em while you can

Green Elephant
Thursday - C&W night with Brian Hughes and Friends

White Rock Coffee
Friday - Amanda Lepre / Andrew Stone
Saturday - Jordan Stephens

Love & War (Plano)
Friday - Thomas Michael Riley
Saturday - Houston Marchman CD Release
Sunday - Shiner Sunday w/Dale Watson

Obzeet
Thursday - Eric Erickson
Friday - Drop-Top Rockets

Hank’s
Friday - Texas Renegade
Saturday - Jesse Dayton

Dan’s Silverleaf
Thursday - Gretel / Sarah Jaffe / Doug Burr
Friday - Eric Keyes
Saturday - Big Daddy Alright
Monday - Paul Slavens

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This weekend, it’s all about the Gutterth boys. Cuz, they create some of the bestest shows ever. Yeah. I said it. EVER.

Friday, June 13th
J&J’s Pizza - 118 Oak Street - Denton
New Science Projects / Dust Congress / The Heartstring Stranglers / Parata

Saturday, June 14th
Hailey’s
Gutterth Live: Episode XXII
Balmorhea / MOM / Hotel, Hotel / Geistheistler
Doors at 9 pm / $6-$8 - All Ages

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Hailey’s
Friday - Hallelucination / Odis / Katsuk
Saturday - Balmorhea / MOM / Hotel, Hotel / Geistheistler

Rubber Gloves
Thursday - Weird Weeds / Shiny Around the Edges / Fight Bite / Verulf
Friday - R9 / DJ-G
Saturday - Cats & Dogs - Benefit for Denton Humane Society
Grillin’ Keggin’n'Helpin’ our 4-legged friends
Peforming Bands:
1:00pm - The Tellevators
1:45pm - Starhead
2:30pm - Ella Minnow
3:15pm - Violent Squid
4:00pm- Big Ol Bastards
4:45pm - Handbrake
5:30pm - The Fuzzy Coos
6:15pm - RTB2
7:00pm - Monkeytown
7:45pm - Audrey Lapraik
8:15pm - George Neal
9:00pm - Little Birds
9:45pm - Raised By Tigers
10:30pm - The Heelers
11:15am - Sarah Jaffe
12:00am - Tre Orsi
12:45am - Record Hop
DOORS OPEN AT NOON!
Bring your dog, and enjoy beer, burgers, bands all day long!

8.0
Thursday - Josh Weathers Band / Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights / Chatterton

1919 Hemphill
Friday - Outclassed / Difference Engine / Fatty Fabulous / Division of Power

The Aardvark
Thursday - Bob Schneider / The Campaign
Saturday - James McMurtry / The Dedringers

The Fairmount
Thursday - Mike McClure / Courtney Patton
Friday - Catfish Whiskey / The Ginn Sisters / Claire Moore and her Boys
Saturday - Josh Weathers / Jody Jones / Whiskey Myers

Fred’s
Thursday - Rodney Hayden
Friday - Villain Vangard
Sunday - Magee Payne / Kurt South

Lola’s
Thursday - The Backsliders CD Release / Fate Lions / RTB2
Friday - Joan of Arc / Tame Tame & Quiet / Yellow Fever
Saturday - Little Big Horn / Merkin / Hedkase

The Moon Bar
Friday - Maren Morris / The Royal West Co. / Grant Jones
Saturday - The Iliads / Binary Sunrise

Scat Lounge
Thursday - Johnny Reno
Friday - Ricki Derek & the Vegas Six
Saturday - Quamon Fowler Quintet

White Elephant
Thursday - David Matsler / Sam Anderson
Friday - Clay McClinton
Saturday - Steve Carasco - 2 pm - Billy Joe Shaver
Sunday - Brett Watts Songwriters in the Round (2 pm) / Cassie Phelps (7 pm) / Clubhouse Concerts w/Walt Wilkins and more

Woody’s Tavern
Friday - Ryan Turner / Josh Davis
Saturday - Josh Grider / Larry Hooper

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In-Stores

Bill’s Records
Saturday
Brett Dillon hosts!
2:30pm - The Black Prairie Band
3:15pm - The Dirty Sound
4:00pm - Guy Forsyth
4:45pm - Mike and the Moonpies
Free

Good Records
Saturday:
Via Audio
3 pm - Free

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Radio…

Friday

89.3 KNON - Rocket Radio - “underground electronic and dark music from the North Texas area and around the world”
Midnight ’til 4 am

Saturday

KTCU 88.7 - Radio Sputnik
Tune in at noon!

89.3 KNON - The Dungeon - hard rock, punk, metal and lots from our local unsigned bands
Midnight ’til 4 am

Sunday

The Local Show on KDGE 102.1 The Edge with the always hot ‘n hunky Chris Ryan - Tune in at 9:00 PM

The Front Porch on 99.5 The Wolf with the better ‘n buttah Justin Frazell - 6:00 PM

The Good Show on KTCU - 88.7 FM with my fave 3 2 stooges Tom U. Tony Diaz - starts at 9:00 PM.

90.1 at Night with my mentor Paul Slavens - 8-10 PM

Uncut with DJ Steve Nice - The absolute best in local Rap/Hip-hop/R&B 11 PM - K104 FM

89.3 KNON - Pagan Holiday- Open playlist, call in your requests! Lots of Indi and local rock.
Midnight ’til 4 am

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Artsy-Fartsy

Saturday, June 14th
Kettle Art

“Cathey Millers latest paintings depict portraits of women clad in tactical gear, gas masks, ski masks, and American flags inhabiting bunkers and rooms full of video screens. Miller uses bold colors and a painterly style to present a doomsday scenario that is tempered by the occasional orange bicycle, a sweetly smiling face, or a fluorescent jellyfish. Her inspirations for this new work are the constant stream of violent images on modern computer, television, movie, and gaming screens, and “Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness” issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Miller is a 1985 graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena , CA.”

Saturday, June 14th
Hal Samples Gallery and SPACE
Performance by Fight Bite
Live Video Stream here on FineLineLive.com

I’m going to defer to my dear friend over at the Sub-Rosa for all your art-going needs. The chick knows her sh*t. Use her site often.

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I Love Math’s highly anticipated album, Getting to the Point is Beside It, sits all hot’n'bothered’n'ready for your insatiable CD player. Tonight, please join me in celebration by settin’ up over at Barley House for a good ol’ fashioned listenin’-to partay.

Out of town? Too lazy to make the drive? That’s kinda okay cuz we’ll be streaming the whole shindig live here at The Fine Line. Expect the cameras to roll ’bout 7 pm. The chat room will be up and running too, in case youse got questions for the band or somethin’.

Getting To The Point Is Beside It
We all get tired and we all get weary. Sometimes what we need is something true-a good, honest document stripped of all falsehoods and petty trickery. I Love Math’s new album, Getting to the Point Is Beside It is one such thing.

“It’s amazing what kind of magic some people can make with only the most basic of ingredients,” says Mundane Sounds about front-man/guitarist John Dufilho’s songwriting.

Dufilho (also the front-man for the Deathray Davies and drummer of Apples in Stereo), says “Mostly, I wanted to write and record a very straightforward album. I wanted it simple, to the point, and didn’t want to hide behind effects pedals, distortion, studio tricks, or irony.”

Drummer Philip Peeples agrees, saying, “On this record, I really enjoyed keeping it simple, playing into the songs, not simply through them. Also, John and Jason are amazing drummers, something that’s never far from my mind.” Accordingly, the band’s unwritten rule of “keep it sparse” makes perfect sense alongside another I Love Math mantra: “no cymbals allowed.” Simplicity over all.

On the 12 song Getting to the Point, pedal steel soars out over guitars you’d expect from the best of old school country. But this is no retro trip; songs like “Josephine Street,” “Some Bridges,” and “Too Many Demons” wouldn’t be out of place on a mix-tape with contemporaries like Jon Brion, Belle & Sebastian, Jonathan Richman, and Yo La Tengo (Fakebook-era) as it would with vintage Kinks, and like-minded harmonizers Simon and Garfunkel and the Everly Brothers.

As The Deathray Davies continues to move forward, I Love Math comes on as its own animal. This is no side-project; Dufilho writes endlessly, so pulling off two full-time bands is almost second nature. Recorded with Salim Nourallah at Pleasantry Lane Studio,.Dufilho and his Dallas-based band-mates, bassist Jason Garner (The Deathray Davies, The Paper Chase), drummer Philip Peeples (Old 97’s), and keyboardist Andy Lester (The Deathray Davies, Slider Pines), have given us an organic yet cinematic piece of music. Songs like “These Paper Walls,” “Volcanic Ash,” and “Better Days” come off like a soundtrack to a great movie that was never made.

On Getting to the Point, I Love Math deliver something modern yet classic. Welcome this record into your life. Your soundtrack has never been better.

“Josephine Street”

My first click over to this week’s Dallas Observer was a pleasing one. My new first read each week is Dave Sims’ new column, North of the Dial. Yeah, I’m somewhat biased cuz I’ve known and loved Dave for years, but I also really respect his writin’ abilities and I ain’t met a band from Denton yet, that I don’t like.

This week I was particularly pleased with Dave’s shout-out to those Gutterth boys. Michael and Brent are good folks, and they put on some hella shows that rival any best-of-the-best shows in DdFW….

…Michael Briggs, on the other hand, is the rare musician who thrives on all of it. Briggs and his friend Brent Frishman run Gutterth Productions, which, for the last two years, has put together more than 20 of the best Denton and Dallas billings with their Gutterth Live series. The events began as a thinly veiled scheme to allow Briggs’ band Malise to share the stage with The Paper Chase, whom he had admired for years. That show was a success, and it occurred to Briggs that instead of waiting on the whim of local venue calendars, he could arrange the concerts he wanted to see himself…Read

I have this thing about putting stickers on my car. Don’t want ‘em on there, won’t put ‘em on there…but for Gutterth I made an exception.

Take a gander at the show the boys have set up for next weekend…

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I read anything written by Merritt Martin. I also read anything penned by Darryl Smyers, ’specially if it pertains to Eleven Hundred Springs.

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Then I clicked over to Pete Freedman’s review of Quick’s Big Thing.

I read it three times to make sure I was really reading what I was reading. Pete? Really? Lemme preface this by saying that I like Pete Freedman. I like him a lot. But he’s sort of put a burr in my britches (no, not Doug, getcher mind outta the gutter) with his entirely snarky and overly harsh review of an evening which I found quite divine. To each their own, I suppose, but this review just seems really…I dunno…below the belt or something.

Course I’m pretty defensive when it comes to Quick, and certainly Hunter Hauk. Those folks have all been real good to me, even forgiving. I was invited to be a panelist and a presenter for the event…so I guess I’m taking the review personally. I’ve also already admitted that, after the horror of being on stage to present, I basically proceeded to the backstage area Green Room with full intent to get sloshed. So I only know what I know…and I know it was a great event, tons of fun and a huge endeavor for Quick (ya know, they have a teeny-tiny staff). Hell, I was downright proud to have been a part of it.

I just don’t understand the pokes and jabs, Pete. I think we’ve got room for a couple of good music events (or awards) sponsored by the city’s media. Why not? It’s the only time this ol’ gal gets offered a free drink, and it’s fun to have so many musicians, of whom I am both friend and fan, in one room for an evening.

That friggin’ Palladium is downright cavernously humongous. Hell, I got lost behind the stage area. I thought the crowd seemed pretty filled-out, considering the size of the venue, and well attended for a Thursday night.

Oh well, soapbox folded and stored away…Read Pete’s take here.

The rest of the music section can be found here.

Jeffrey Liles is compiling a “History of Dallas Music,” thank goodness, and you can keep up here. Below are a few excerpts…the man is a freakin’ gift to this town…

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I made this page for a reason. It’s time to for the Dallas creative community to start owning our collective past, present and future.

We certainly aren’t suffering from a lack of talent. Our artists sell literally millions of recordings to people all over the world. Our musicians tour all over the place as bandleaders and hotshot hired guns. We’re everywhere… everywhere except home.

Fuck all that.

There is simply no reasonable excuse for the North Texas area to NOT have a signature profile as a progressive, economically viable music and art epicenter.

As crass as this might sound, I need to put this in terms of the only language a lot of the elitist motherfuckers understand - our creative people are makin’ money. For all these people who branded Dallas as a new money oil town - a glitzy and superficial fashion circle jerk - it’s time for you to step to the side and let our musicians, photographers and artists illustrate this life experience.

“A History of Dallas Music” is more than just that. It’s YOUR personal connection to the collective community - how YOU experienced it. If you are a fan, musician, artist, engineer, photographer, DJ, venue employee or hater, this is the place for you to own your contribution or experience within the context of who we really are.

I realize that one of the reasons the North Texas area doesn’t have a higher profile is mainly an issue of aesthetics. We’re all over the map stylistically. This has always been our blessed curse. Hopefully this page will help educate musicians and fans about artists who exist outside of their chosen genre.

Dallas is Pantera and Rigor Mortis. It’s Erykah Badu and Norah Jones. It’s Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ben Kweller and MC 900 Ft Jesus. The Toadies and 1100 Springs. Dallas is Roy Hargrove and Cafe Noir. Our musicians are playing in bands with artists like Fiona Apple, Seal, Air, Korn, Smashmouth and Bob Dylan.

We’re everywhere, all the time.

We’re more diverse than New York City and more original than Los Angeles. We’re more talented than Seattle and more country than Nashville.

Our people are nicer and certainly less egotistical than all of those places.

No longer will we collectively exist under the radar.

It’s finally time to own what has always been ours to begin with.

Now go add your perspective here: myspace.com/historyofdallasmusic

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When I was growing up in the 70’s, there were killer music stores all over town.

I rode my bike up to Sound Town in the Promenade Center in Richardson to pay five bucks for a brand new vinyl copy of “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols”. I had no idea what “bollocks” meant. Didn’t know what anarchy or submission was either. Had literally had no idea at what they were screaming about, but I fucking loved it anyway. That album just came flying out of the speakers of my stereo.

I also remember meeting Van Halen at an in-store appearance at Disc Records in Valley View Mall. God I loved that place. They gave away free 7 inch singles of “You Really Got Me” b/w “Atomic Punk” that day. Van Halen had just released their first album and they were out on the road opening up for Journey. I actually won a jukebox in a promotion they had that afternoon at the store. It was too heavy to lift up the stairs to my house, so it sat in the garage until I sold it to Bill from Bill’s Records a couple of years later so I could go buy a bass guitar.

Robert Fripp did a great in-store performance at Peaches Records on Lemmon Avenue. He had just released the “Exposure” album, and he did this deal where he sat there on a stool playing along with tape loops. It was my birthday that day, and it was great to spend it with such a prog rock legend. That whole day was a trip. I might have been hallucinating, but Fripp was about four feet tall.

When I was really young I used to talk my parents into taking me to Melody Shop in NorthPark Mall every Saturday afternoon. I used to love to go there and play all of the electric guitars. They also used to sell sheet music there. Man I loved that place.

When McCord’s Music opened up in Valley View I actually talked my parents into buying me a drum set there. I took lessons for about a month and then gave up before turning to the guitar. A month or so later I bought an old white Gibson SG Jr. for $150 at Pete’s Pawn and Music in Garland and started learning a few chords. Think I got my first amp at Sears at Valley View.

I really dug that Sound Warehouse that was tucked away across the street from there in the corner of that strip mall at 635 and Preston Road. Such a great vibe in that store. It had a “California” look and feel to the interior. I think that may have been the first location for Sound Warehouse. There was another one a couple of miles away on Belt Live in Addison that was really cool as well. Used to ride my bike up there all the time too.

Arnold and Morgan Music and Charley’s Guitar Shop are both legendary. In a lot of ways I was too chickenshit to go in there. Those places were for the real pros, I was just a kid hacking away at “Black Dog” by Led Zeppelin. It was a big deal for me just to walk in there and buy strings.

I really miss a lot of the smaller indie record stores. Record Gallery, Direct Hit, Last Beat Records, RPM, Pagan and VVV Records were all amazing in their own ways. I can’t tell you how many amazing records I bought at VVV over the years. Such an incredible store. Neal Caldwell and Mark Griffin were always so great to talk to. I would spend hours there in the side room listening to records that I just couldn’t afford.

As a teenager I lived a short bike ride away from the original Bill’s Records, back when there was still a Northwood Four Movie Theatre in the same shopping center. (Bagelstein’s Deli, which was next door, has now moved to the shopping center at Coit and Arapaho Road.)

Over the years, all of these stores influenced the musicians and DJs of Dallas in deeply profound ways. People would drive in from Oklahoma and Arkansas just to buy records at VVV, RPM, Metamorphisis and Bill’s Records. High school kids would save their lawn mowin’ money to buy their first guitars at Arnold and Morgan. Bands like P-Funk would sign autographs at Peaches. It seemed like every week something cool like that was happening in Dallas.

Ya gotta miss that shit.

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“More and more I can see, who I am, who I might be… how will you make your dreams come true?”

So few rock and roll songs manage to articulate revelation or personal discovery in a way that’s anything other than blatantly emo. This is different.

When it was released twenty years ago, “More and More” by The Buck Pets was one of those songs that just sent chills up your spine. Two minutes of sheer dissonance, kid. A wave of chaos, lead singer Andy Thompson above the fray asking “what’s the price for your slice of life?” This shit was heavy.

“More and More” was both massive and introspective at the same time. Chris Savage’s guitar solo is a writhing atonal feedback-drenched wall of noise, a black Gibson Les Paul screaming through an old Marshall half stack like an damaged F16 scorching the desert sky.

His melodic figure during the bridge wavers on a teetering high wire above the rest of the band; the wall of sonic anarchy that follows perfectly simulates the effect of biting down on tin foil. When Thompson comes back to finish the lyrics, Savage’s harmonic squall line just swims around all over the place.

The song is pure genius. After hearing it you realize that you’ve been holding your breath the whole time. It’s that dramatic and concise.

That’s what life is all about, isn’t it? How you’ll make your dreams come true?

Now, in retrospect, do you think Andy knew that twenty years later he would be running a general store in a small town in Virginia? Or that bassist Ian Beach would become a highly innovative chef? Where is Tony Alba these days anyway? I know that Chris Savage is in a band called Mic The Tiger, and I wanna check ’em out. It’s about time he got back out there and reclaims the style that he helped invent.

In a lot of ways, The Buck Pets were Deep Ellum’s first real Rock Stars. Barely out of high school, they signed with Island Records, toured with Jane’s Addiction and even opened for Neil Young in LA at a few arena shows.

They were easily my favorite band in town at the time. To this day, there have only been a handful of records that are as abrupt and beautiful as the Buck Pets debut album. Can you imagine if this record had been released the same year as Nirvana’s “Nevermind”?

This band would have been huge.

It should also be noted that David Bindler, who passed away three days ago, was one of the Buck Pets earliest and biggest supporters.

In The Los Angeles Times today, there appears a brief paid obituary without any further explanation; all it says is the name of the deceased, William David Bindler, along with Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries.

But there are plenty of folks living in Dallas who could fill in the copious blanks: After all, David was one of the first people any of us at Thomas Jefferson High School in the mid-1980s knew who was in a real band.

Back then he was the drummer in Da Nu Man, which would perform at the Theatre Gallery and 500 Cafe and Kool Vibes, and which, in October 1986, released the single “Sidestreets” on Russell Hobbs and Jeff Liles’ Deep Ellum Records. Later came Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! with no less than Nervebreaker Barry Kooda.

David died over the weekend of a bleeding ulcer, according to a mutual friend from T.J.; she says “it got the best of him,” simple as that. He was 41 and married, and he leaves behind a 17-year-old son.

For his part, yesterday Barry Kooda posted a video, available after the jump, Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! made at the State Fair of Texas many, many years ago.

Also, some of David’s former classmates from T.J., many of whom also grew up and moved away only to settle back in the old neighborhood, will gather on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Club Schmitz. Of course, all who knew David are welcome.

–Robert Wilonsky
Dallas Observer

Anybody else have any interesting Buck Pets memories?

“Moon Goddess” by The Buck Pets

Hunter Hauk did a li’l Q&A with Denton-darlings, Ghosthustler in this week’s Quick…

Last year, Denton electro-dance group Ghosthustler got mentions in Spin, on Pitchfork and on countless national blogs mere months after forming, mainly because of “Parking Lot Nights.”

The Pete Ohs-directed video for the song achieved viral status with its footage of a Nintendo Power Glove rhythmically punching random hipsters in the face. Clearly, Ghosthustler got off to a good start.

And while members Alan Palomo, Gray Gideon and Noah Jackson still have no immediate plans for a full-length album, they’ve kept fans and bloggers interested with live shows and single releases.

The trio’s newest songs, “Someone Else’s Ride” and “Only Me to Trust,” are on Ghosthustler’s first physical release, a limited 10-inch record released at last month’s South by Southwest.

The guys told us in a recent chat that they plan to put out more new tracks and remixes soon, and also will start thinking about tours in the U.S. and Europe. Here’s more….Read Dammit!

I was lucky enough to catch Ghosthustler live at Strawberry Fields a few weeks back and was hooked immediately. Infectious energy and brilliant tuneage…that’s it in a nutshell.

You can getcher Ghosthustler on tomorrow night, Friday, April 4th at The Cavern in Dallas.

Lovie Luvin’ here on the Gordon Keith Show.

Hunter Hauk’s Liner Notes tells the tale of Smile Smile, Dave Alor, Frank Campagna, & stuff to to this weekend. Click.

“Sad Song” by Smile Smile

Yeah, so I’m a li’l late on the take (what else is new), but Skin found greatness in P.P.T.’s Denglish too..

…We feature the PPT folks in this paper a lot. But the reason is that Team SS is genuinely enamored with Picnic, Pikahsso and Tahiti’s talent and potential to create great stuff no matter what they’re doing. The fact that we like these dudes has nothing to do with the fact that they have crafted a classic.

Denglish sounds like very little else that has come from our fine city, yet it is a distinctively Dallas record. If it gets heard outside our region, it’ll get jocked all across the board…Read it all.

More creamy goodness is just a click away…

Go vote!

Me brother from another mother has been bizzy, bizzy, bizzy, what with his crazy SXSW shenanigans, to his towed-off night with Lesley Tellez. So it’s a wonder that he found time to top off his weekly Liner Notes…

•Denton band Record Hop (who appeared on Quick’s cover a couple of days ago) will make copies of its new self-titled CD available next Thursday at its CD release show at Dan’s SilverLeaf in Denton. But those of us who saw the band’s official showcase at South by Southwest were lucky enough to grab a free copy, hot off the press. Check out the insane artwork by Nevada Hill, with individual lyric sheets inside that feature photos by Hop drummer Tony Wann. This is why you shouldn’t download albums…read the rest.

In case you forgotteded, Hunter also had a sweet interview with Record Hop and you should read it, lest your pals’ll think you all lame and sh*t.

‘Memember when I said Lesley towed-off Hunter? Go here for the splendid details.

Check out the interview with the always delightful Laura Palmer too.

The Battle of the Bands has reached the final stage…and you’ll need to go here this afternoon to place your vote for your pick for the victor.

Finally, be sure and check Movie Time with Pikahsso and Tahiti…this week it’s Horton Hears a Who…and there’s a quick plug for Denglish too.

Hey man, if Pikahsso and Tahiti get some face time, then shouldn’t Picnic too? The answer is hell to the yeah!

Picnic and Richmond on Denglish

Watch these previews for the latest development in our project “Dreamtown”, an independent documentary that makes the invisible visible by bringing social consciousness into the main stream, and delivers a raw and unbiased perspective. This is a glimpse at one of several surfacing products advocating social awareness through “Dreamtown”. My comrades are very busy with this one and I’m very proud of the results. Have a look!

Filmed and Directed by Hal Samples
Edited by Jeremy Bush
Music by Hendrick
Visuaal.com

It took me about 2 hours 45 minutes to reach North Austin from Dallas yesterday. It took me 1 hour 13 minutes to get from North Austin to South Austin…sigh.

Pretty much the moment I hit town last night, the girl-child was calling about our dinner plans. I took the girl to Jovita’s, one of my favorite Austin hangs. It proved to be an interesting evening. There was this adorable tiny-little-just-turned-84-years-old lady there celebrating her day of birth. Celebrating with the most unusually quirky little crowd. Well…not exactly little…they were about 15 long and 5 deep. There were all these crazy, fancy professional cameras set up everywhere and the moment Sumner Erickson & The Texcentrics took the stage, this lil’ birthday gal hit the dance floor and was immediately surrounded by her motley crew, to form sort of a Woodstockesque dance-a-thon…they held hands, formed a circle and just sort of swayed slowly. Overheard conversations throughout the evening were priceless.

As I predicted in an earlier post, the girl-child was pretty much ready to dump me by 8 PM. That’s okay, she wanted (and did go) to go to the Obama rally, so for that, I can forgive being a dumpee.

I’m still sitting here awaiting for the girl-child to rise from her slumber. However, I think I’ll get out and see what the hell is happ’nin’ in Austin. There are several really great shows tonight, I’m still mulling over which one to attend…since I’ve already been informed that I can expect another big dump tonight….oh shutup, you know what I mean.

The Austin Chronicle has a pull-out of a partial list of showcasing acts for this years SXSW. This year I’m going badge and wristband free. I usually end up at non-official shows anyway, and my real draw to the festival is attending shows all day, then calling it a day before 10 PM. What can I say, I’m old.

I watched “A Nation of Laws? (1968-71)” last night on KLRU-PBS…

“A Nation of Laws? (1968-71)” examines the Black Panthers’ rise in Chicago in 1968; and the Attica State Prison uprising in ‘71. Included: comments by journalist Tom Wicker and former Panther Elaine Brown.

It was extremely powerful, tragic and educating, and I highly recommend watching it yourselves.

What to do tonight…what to do…

Almost There Records is throwin’ a Hoot Night tonight at the Continental Club with Honeypot, The Archibalds, Ripe, Ron Flynt, The Midgetmen, Matt Divine and a bunch more.

Moonlight Towers, Magnet School and Dead Twins are at Hole in the Wall. The Black Lips, The Strange Boys and White Denim are at Emo’s.

Other notables - Darryl Lee Rush is at Riley’s. Brave Combo at Jovita’s. South Austin Jug Band at Saxon Pub.

Like I said…what to do…

Um…duh.

Look, I ain’t got much to toot my (very unused) horn about, ‘cept the young’un’s (girl and boy-child), and choosing some of the right friends. So I’ll always take full credit for Doug Burr. So what if he’s the most talented and gifted singer-songwriter in the world. Who cares if he’s worked his ass off gigging and promoting, even long after I was his band’s booking agent. Big deal that he tirelessly writes new and brilliant songs in the few hours that he can manage, outside of his wife, kids and full time job. I still want, and demand, full credit.

Having known Doug for nearly a decade, along with the fact that it was his voice and his music that urged me to even take a look at the live local music scene, nearly a decade ago…it comes as no long-overdue surprise when Doug gets national attention. He gets international attention too, ya know.

I do like it, though, when another fan jumps on the Dougie-wagon, and finds a wee bit of pride in our local talent…Pete Freedman done jumped…

…and there was Paste magazine’s placement of local folk singer Doug Burr within both the confines of its February compilation CD (with the song “Thing About Trouble”) and its pages (Burr was named in one of the magazine’s monthly “4 to Watch” musician features).

Hardly a bad way to kick off the year.

But was it coincidence? A matter of the national media finally picking up on something our locals have known for so long? Or was it that the local supporters of these artists were finally knocking down the right doors? …Read this silly.

…I’m mulling over the idea of making Pete Freedman my idea too. You know, full credit and all that stuff? Yeah, that’s what I might do…

“Come to My Senses” by Doug Burr

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Robert Wilonsky makes nice mention of Erykah Badu’s upcoming release, Nu Amerykah Part 1: The Fourth World War, and rightly so…I’ve heard nothing but greatness pertaining to this new album. Wilonsky shares newsworthy scoopage far and wide…go here…and here…and here.

For a long time—about three years—Erykah Badu figured maybe she was done making records. It started around the time she released Worldwide Underground in June 2003, which would have been one hell of a farewell: a gritty, fist-in-your-face EP populated by tracks that rambled on and on, some drenched in fuzz, others doused with fury. Nothing was coming; nothing was happening; nothing was everything when she sat down to write…just…something, damn it…She did. Oh how she did.

Yes, she has a date set at the House of Blues in Dallas on Tuesday, February 26th. Purchase tickets before they’s all gone.

Ssssshhhhhhhh. I’ve got a secret. On Monday, February 25th, there will be a super-secret-super-cool-super-fantastic event at a local record shop. There’s talk of it being an “old school” record release party, complete with Ms Badu present so’s we can get stuff signed and, quite frankly, bask in her brilliance. There will also be copies of a way-cool documentary available. As soon as I get the signal, you’ll get the signal.

Watch the video for “Honey.”

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‘memember what I toldsya kiddies - Melodica, Melodica, Melodica!

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Well it seems that Darryl Smyers is a better man than I. Regardless of my efforts to get Mark Olson’s “people” to confirm a video interview with the former Jayhawk, it just didn’t come to pass. But real-live-paid-pro-writers have no trouble gettin’ Olson on the horn…

Speaking from his tour bus just outside Seattle, Mark Olson sounds revitalized and downright giddy. Things are good at the moment for the former leader of the influential alt-country act The Jayhawks.

“I have a real interesting band,” Olson says of the group of musicians backing him on his current solo tour. “It seems like we’ve been playing every night since August.”…yeah…so…read it.

Hell, I’ll still track Mark down somehow, somewhere…

Thursday, February 21st
Good Records
Mark Olson
6 PM

Thursday, February 21st
AllGood Cafe
Todd Deathrage / Mark Olson
8 PM - $15.00

“Part of a documentary shot in NYC while Mark (founding member of The Jayhawks) was doing a residency at Mo Pitkins. “National Express” is a track from Mark’s new album on HackTone Records, ‘The Salvation Blues.’”

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Read the rest of this week’s musical musings.

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Texas gets a little luvin’ for this year’s PLUG awards, including our bestest blog around, Gorilla vs Bear. Way to go Chris, again!

More:
Spoon - “Album of the Year” - “Artist of the Year” - “Song of the Year” The Underdog - “Indie Album of the Year” - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge)
St. Vincent - “Best New Artist” - “Best Female Artist” - “Best Video”
Okkervil River - “Indie Album of the Year” - “Artist of the Year” - The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar)
Iron & Wine - “Americana Album of the Year” - The Shepard’s Dog (Sub Pop)
Emo’s (Austin) - “Best Live Music Venue of the Year”
Fun Fun Fun Fest, SXSW, Austin City Limits - all nominated for “Music Festival of the Year”
Gorilla vs Bear - “Music Blog of the Year”
Waterloo Records - “Record Store of the Year”
The Adventure Club w/Josh Venable - “Specialty Show of the Year”

Read more. Get out and Vote

Speaking of Texas. Speaking of voting. Speakingg of music awards. Tomorrow is the deadline to place your vote for this year’s Austin Chronicle Music Poll Don’t just sit there, go vote!

My life, at present, is rife with turmoil…case in point, the below dishwasher doin’s this morning…

…but that’s for another place and time, eh? Actually, it ain’t all that bad, but when things do get a little crazy, I tend to have really really full-blown surround-sound-technicolor dreams.

My dreams have been crazy vivid this week. One in which I was told that I was pregnant, by my doctor…ahem…who turned out to be, Britney Spears. She was wearing a soft-pink Juicy Couture Terry Track Suit, and her hair had grown back about an inch-and-a-half with sort of a strawberry blond hue. Not too clear on the meaning behind this dream, but I can assure you, I ain’t pregnant…and I’m fairly certain Britney needs a doctor more than she might be a doctor.

Last night I had a dream about Carissa Byers. I have no idea why. In the dream she was throwing a lavish party to celebrate something of importance. She began to clink a small, shiny silver spoon against her champagne glass to hush the crowd and announce the big news…and I woke-up.

My dreams usually come back to me throughout the day, and I just remembered last night’s theatrical slumber, so I logged on to Carissa’s blog...

Daniel Miller is an exceptional, amazing and talented man and we are about to join forces outside of the mushy realm of Absolute Perfection and enter into the professional world. Together. We are launching exciting things on Valentines Day. It is our gift to Each other and our gift to You…there’s more.

hmmmm….

I dunno what those two crazy kids are cookin’ up, nor do I know why I had a sudden semi-psychic dream, but what I do know is that the video below really put me in an amazingly good mood. Thanks for that C & D.

“After All” by Sondra Lerche - Photos by Carissa Byers & Daniel Miller

Yesterday I concocted somewhat of an agreement with Rebecca Johnson, wife of the GREAT Jay Johnson. Jay’s got, yet another, song under his belt that is sure to go platinum. I’ve been asked to do some work with them, and since Jay is one of most brilliant singer/songwriters around, and I love them both dearly, I agreed. Plus, it’s income. I like income. I’ll spill more about all this scoop later, meantime I need a favor…

…in order to accomplish some of the work I’ve been asked to do, for pay, is that I need to invest in a decent camcorder. Here’s a bit of what I need:

~good video AND audio capability
~XLR ports to hook up mics and mixers
~Able to stream from camera to laptop for live video streaming
~relatively easy to use and/or learn to use
~easy editing and uploading to computer/internet
~decent in low light and/or capable to attach light

I’m sure there’s more, but that’s the gist now. If youse guys have any suggestions, send ‘em my way. I’ve researched to the point that my head is pounding and my eyes are crossed. Any help from you in-the-know types will be most appreciated. Time is of the essence…

“In the Flash of the Storm.mp3″ by Jay Johnson

“Love in the Wasteland.mp3″ by Jay Johnson

I’m really excited about the relatively newly formed, The King Bucks. So’s Merritt. I freakin’ love her piece How to Be a Good Cover Band in this week’s Dallas Observer. I’ve had countless conversations on the subject, and even several nights banging my head against a brick wall thinking about the subject…

If you’d asked two years ago, I would have said that the only reason for a cover band to exist is to make money and watch the crazy shit that goes down at weddings, and that’s coming from someone who’s been in one. Yeah, I admit it—the Ronnie Dobbs Band could “rock your corporate event” with hits from Coldplay to Heart. We were never meant to write our own material or go any further than holiday parties at local venues. I also got total shit for being in a cover band. It’s a stigma. “You don’t do any original music?” “Oh God, you have to sing ‘Lights’ by Journey?!” Looking back now, those were fun times, but the jokes and snarking also turned me into a snob. Tribute nights are one thing, but professional cover bands became a whole new cancer for me….Read it fool!

Um. What? Merritt Martin shall never live down the cover band phase of her life. I won’t allow it. I just won’t. I can’t wait to see her in person so’s I can point and laugh and laugh and laugh…then I’ll shout out some requests…

…All that held until I ran into the King Bucks. Via covers and (gasp!) the occasional original tune, the King Bucks will take you (or me, specifically) back to Dad teaching how to pop a beer top, sitting in Granny’s kitchen at that cool metal table and insisting that brown cowboy boots needed to be worn with an Easter dress. Somehow those blasts aren’t as offensive when done with reverence for the original musicians such as Buck Owens (hence the name), the Louvin Brothers, the Everly Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Hank Thompson, David Allan Coe, Dylan and the like. As King Buck Chad Stockslager says, “It’s not a tribute to a band as much as a style or genre. It’s a time-honored sound…” For the love of Hank, Read - Read, I say!

My mom had these old Everly Brothers albums, like so old they were about a half-inch thick and weighed a good 2 lbs. each. I played them down to the grain. So Wednesdays at Barley House will be my new thang. Can’t wait ’til next week.

Read the whole dang thing.

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I’ve had January 19th circled on my calendar since I first heard about the above shindig a few weeks back. Jesse Hughey does a little raving too…here.

…But Bar of Soap managed to put together a lineup strong enough to inspire the hope that standing in a Dallas bar/laundry listening to local rock bands for 10 hours might actually be fun…

Goodwin performs at 4:15…I’m just sayin’…see ya there!

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Just one more reason why I adore Darryl Smyers. Like I needed another one.

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Rich does Fishboy. Or was it the other way around? Oh hell, just read it.

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I can assure you that Jesse Hyde’s article, Gentrification Welcomed by Deep Ellum Artists is going to cause a stir. Perhaps that’s precisely what he was going for…or is it more an article about Brian Gibb? Dunno, but I like what Gianna had to add to the article…

…Gibb’s call for big-business development is at odds with the philosophy of the Deep Ellum Association, which is dedicated to preserving the historical buildings in the area. Gianna Madrini, president of the association, helped lure Gibb to Deep Ellum, and while she understands his frustration as a business owner, she says large scale redevelopment is not the answer.

“We’d like to see development within the context of this historic neighborhood,” Madrini says. “This is one of the last neighborhoods that represents what Dallas once was and what it really is. If you have a whole bunch of West Villages, everything looks the same.”

Madrini says what has been lost in the hand-wringing over the so-called death of Deep Ellum’s entertainment district is that the area has quietly become a place where people actually live, not just shop, eat and play. In a sense, it already is a West Village, with a bohemian rather than mass-produced commercial feel.

To maintain that, she says the city must do everything it can to preserve Deep Ellum’s historic buildings. Those buildings in and of themselves are an asset to the neighborhood and are one reason Deep Ellum has always been, and continues to be, an artist’s enclave.

“It’s true that we’ve lost a lot of entertainment, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that we now have more residents living here than ever before. We have 17 art galleries in Deep Ellum. It really is a mixed-use neighborhood.”

If the neighbor hood maintains its feel, Madrini says, more business owners like Gibb will come to the area and more residents will move there to live, all of which will increase foot traffic along streets like Commerce.

“The answer isn’t to tear down historic buildings and build parking lots. We’ve got to preserve what makes this city unique….”

The comments are in full swing if you got something to say on the subject…then say it.

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I’m truly blessed to hav