http://punkcast.com/ Video of NYC underground music scene - txt + .ram preview en-US joly@dti.net (Joly MacFie) Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 EST punkcast.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ http://punkcast.com/1376/ Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1376 The second of the 2008, and 6th annual, series of East River Music Project open air concerts took place under threat of serious thunderstorms. The line-up was all skronk but each band had a different edge. First up Blood City were punk skronk, second up Emperor X was anti-folk skronk, third up Obits were power-garage skronk, and finally Titus Andronicus, whose set was indeed cut short as the skies opebned up, were freak-dork-rock skronk. Another well put together show from ERMP, who never fail to find ways to elevate the city's musical consciousness. http://punkcast.com/owd.html Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:00:00 EST http://punkcast.com/owd.html A couple of years ago my friend Vivien Goldman - The Punk Professor - asked to me to talk to her class at NYU about fanzines. Back in the late 70s I ran Better Badges, making millions of punk badges, and, after acquiring printing equipment, printed and published fanzines on a walk-in basis. Now, Vivien had given her students a thorough cultural grounding - extending punk's roots back through rock'n'roll to blues, jazz, constructivism and dada. I was able, I hope, to bring an additional perspective as to the technological developments that enabled such an upswell just at this time, well before most of the students were born. First I showed them a Beatles 'fan' magazine from the 60s noting how it was printed using letterpress and individual etched blocks for each photograph, then a late 60s pop magazine printed using photo offset litho to produce glorious color pin-ups. In these days 'image' was a major concern of popular artists - the outlets were few and far between and controlled by corporate interests with publicity machines. The same thing went for radio and distribution. The gulf between publishers and consumers was practically infinite. Replication of anything was beyond the means of the average person. But then things started to change. Philips had introduced the Compact Cassette in 1964, but it was only in the early 70s, with the introduction of dolby and better tapes that it began to be used for music. Manufacturers, mostly Asian, began cranking out double-cassette decks that could be used for duplication. At the same time Xerox, previously prohibitively expensive and of poor quality, became more widely available and decent looking. This was matched by new cheaper offset presses such as the 'Multilith 1250' and 'Instant Printing' processes that dramatically reduced the cost of making plates. Thus by 1976, for the first time, the enabling means of viral culture were available. Using just such technology I started making and selling promotional badges in London. At very the first show I tried it at, a new band from NYC called The Ramones played - I made badges of them and sold lots! Punk rock was on! An essential component of the punk ethos was rejection of the seperation between producer and consumer - anyone could do it, and often did. Means of participation included fashion, painting a band's name on your clothing, or wearing a badge. I coined the phrase "Image As Virus" as a slogan. Impromptu publications aka fanzines such as Sniffing Glue sprang up to map the scene. At this point in the narrative I gave Viv's students some examples to look at, including one example that was printed off an evidently disintegrating paper offset-plate. Viv had made a big issue of how the 'blackmail' typography was a symbolic reaction against authority but - in my version - it was just a practical necessity as the only alternative - dry transfer lettering - cost way too much. The only way to reduce the size of a graphic required a photo mechanical transfer (PMT) camera - a large item that used expensive film that was my first capital purchase at Better Badges. I had a constant stream of punk graphic artists needing pics adjusted.. Fortunately, before the end of the decade even better photocopiers arrived that allowed reduced size copies. I could tell that, for students raised with WYSIWYG desktop publishing as a given, the whole concept was almost unfathomable. As for the music, we were lucky in the UK to have a champion of punk on the BBC - John Peel. He'd invite the bands, few of whom had records, to visit his studios and record sessions for broadcast on his program. This is where all those accumulated twin-cassette players suddenly came into play. Kids exchanging a Peel session of a new punk band could actually outnumber sales of many pop records of the day! Fanzines sprung up like weeds everywhere, reviewing shows and tapes. For the first time pop music was a truly bottom-up culture with the outside leading the center, as the labels tried to keep up. Those first punk bands, on the strength of all this, were able to sign big deals - the notes passed at the back of class had thus eventually become the curricula. To many fans, this violated the original principles, so, as the second generation of 'post-punk' bands developed, something known as the DIY ethic was established - a sustainable way of going about your business on your own terms. This was around the same time I got onto printing fanzines. The zines I printed, and others,acted as the promotional arm of new labels like Factory, Mute, and Rough Trade, laying the ground for the growth of indie rock. While it just about paid for itself over time, it was still a capital intensive business, with a publishing run of 1000-5000 copies of each issue. A big deal by 1980 was the advent of personal computers and modems. It seemed to me at the time they opened up a whole world of possibility for open information exchange and user-promotion. Meanwhile as the mainstream media adopted the graphic immediacy of fanzines, and adopted bands as fast as they could, the surrounding alternative media culture became less important. Holding onto the online idea in 1982 I sold Better Badges and moved to California, home to the most bustling BBS scene in the world. My staff, to whom I'd sold the business in the UK couldn't keep it up and it soon folded. As major labels grabbed the leading post-punk acts, and put their promotional push behind watered-down 'new-wave' there wasn't much of a scene left that merited the kids' support. South California oddly enough was a hold-out with a crazy hard-core scene which I had a lot of fun promoting for Goldenvoice. However, even there, I was disappointed to find that there was practically no crossover between online geeks and the music. Moving to NYC I actually started blogging the local scene by email in 1987 or so, but since email in those days cost money I soon ran up a big bill and had to quit. I'd have to wait another 7 years, and the release of Netcruiser for the World Wide Web to become a practical reality for the average user. At first there were practically no band homepages but for some reason the Raleigh News and Observer ran one for the Beastie Boys. In those days there were virtually no search engines just something called the NCSA What's New that listed new websites. In April 1995 I started blogging and put up a page for the Bad Brains. I also joined the Internet Society of which I'm still an active member. I've been overjoyed, in the years since, to see my original hopes for a free and open medium of egalitarian cultural exchange exceeded beyond my wildest dreams. What has all this to do with OneWebDay you might ask? The first point is that that first radical explosion of punk rock culture presaged the P2P and web2.0 user-participation that we now take for granted. The second is that, just like punk rock, which was initially considered indigestible by the mainstream, and yet became ghetto-ized, or co-opted and bastardized into the totally ineffectual new-wave, the internet which was in its original incarnation considered an uncontrollable fount of ideas is also threatened by the forces of corporate consolidation. OneWebDay is an event / cause - now in its 3rd year - an earthday for the Internet - is the one universal banner behind which we can all gather to prevent that from happening. Sep 22 2008. I'll be there. And so should you. Punk rock! http://punkcast.com/1362/ Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1362 This forum. presented by OneWebDay, ISOC-NY, and the Information Law Institute @ NYU during Internet Week NY, is part of the build up to a politically-minded OneWebDay on September 22, 2008. It brought together a variety of renowned scholars, thinkers, and activists to provide their perspectives on political engagement on the Net. The forum happened to occur on the day after Barack Obama clinched the presidential nomination. http://punkcast.com/1347/ Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1347 When I got the invite to this show, an acoustic AIDS benefit in Soho, I immediately paid attention when I saw the name of Jeb Loy Nichols. I'd heard his name mentioned in dub circles because of his work with Adrian Sherwood, and it turns out he is a bona-fide member of the original Slits family. As I checked the other acts I decided that KaiserCartel - a duo from Brooklyn with a budding reputation and an imminent record were also punkcast-worthy. The gig was in the Housing Works Bookstore - a place that I have to recommend not just because the profit goes to the worthy cause of housing messed-up people, but also because it has a really good selection of books at great prices. I walked out with several bargains after the shoot. KaiserCartel, on first, matched their buzz. Directly engaging - cute folky boy-girl on the surface - one discerns an engrained moodiness. I don't like to make references in my descriptions but when watching them I recall thinking it was somewhere between Mazzy Star and Judy Collins. The two songs I've picked are opener 'Oh No', from the forthcoming album 'March Forth', and 'Okay', from a recent EP. I knew Jeb Loy lives in Wales, but was further surprised to discover that he is an American from Missouri. He sang in a gentle country style - on some songs joined by a pick up band that included Garry West, head of his current label, Nashville's Compass Records, on bass. Listening I could hear what would have attracted Sherwood to his sound. He has a silky voice not unsimilar to Bim Sherman, plus the soul-phrasing so much loved by great reggae singers. In the first clip 'Days Are Mighty' - the title song of his new album - he even drops in a little Marley. The other one I've picked is a cover of The Miracles' 'Tracks Of My Tears' which Jeb turns into a country lament. On a day that it so happened NYC was soaked by torrential rain, Jeb definitely brought to the city the sense of rustic timelessness that is the theme of his record. http://punkcast.com/1361/ Sun, 01 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1361 This is not The Carrots founder V-Jon's first appearance on Punkcast - she is also the vocalist on the raucous 'Missile' by Finally Punk on PUNKCAST#1001 from July 2006. Even at that time the foundation of her current project had been laid, a softer sweeter animal that evokes and echoes 60s girl groups. V-J would eventually leave Finally Punk in November 2007, but The Carrots still exhibit a degree of that outfit's devil-may-care exuberance, intriguingly meshed with harmony. The crowd at this show adored them, and insisted on multiple encores. The song here 'Beverly' is the top track on their latest EP. http://punkcast.com/1352/ Fri, 30 May 2008 05:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1352 The concept that there should be a 'dot nyc' was originally launched some years ago by a Community Board in Jackson Heights. Tom Lowenhaupt, a member of that board, gave the idea a good run around the city's civic hallways without much result. However, recently, with Berlin and Paris also pursuing their own city top level domain plans, and ICANN slowly but surely opening the gates to more 'generic' TLD's, it now looks to be a practical possibility. Tom has led the formation of a non-profit 'Connecting .nyc' to actually acquire the rights and operate the domain. The three cities plan a co-ordinated effort at the forthcoming June ICANN meet in Paris to get the ball truly rolling. Before his departure Tom gave ISOC-NY a full background presentation and took questions on the nitty gritty details. He envisualizes a community-managed registry that is a departure from anything seen hitherto. http://punkcast.com/1328/ Fri, 23 May 2008 05:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1328 At Tessa Pollitt's back garden, Bakerloo Line & The Underworld Sep 18 2007 - Ari-Up performing with her backing band, 'The True Warriors', at The Underworld in Camden was the first of two gigs in London last September. I caught the first one on tape, and as Ari kept on saying to the tech crew "Bright lights, bright lights - we want to be seen" I came away with some strong shots, apart from when Ari walks up stage and gets shaded into the background. (Ari does it one time, whilst singing Fade Away, providing a good ending for the film.) Whenever Ari visits London I always get a call, whether I film or watch the gig, we always touch base. One time in 2004 I filmed Ari, Tessa and Ari's son, Wilton, on their way to meet with a producer. It was a meeting which couldn't be filmed, but I wish I had got it. Watching Ari fight her corner is always a clear act, and one that leaves you a bit inspired. Luckily the interview and underground footage was a true find; I can't imagine planning the shot with the school children on the train. It's the perfect representation of what I like most about Ari - her direct interaction with people on the street, the speed at which she reacts to something, and the inherent morality, of being yourself with everybody, stays through to the end; especially when Ari summarises it all with a line from one of The Slit's songs - "Bloody hell, it never changes. Grown-ups, the world of grown-ups, it's corrupt." (Ari and Tessa share a laugh.) --- Poppie Sköld 2008 http://punkcast.com/1338/ Fri, 09 May 2008 15:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1338 Indian jewelry are a dronepunk band from Houston TX. They've been around in various line-ups and names for some time before settling into the current touring power quartet. I'll leave the describing to Max Goldberg's flavorpill preview: "The band's blasted beats face off against squalling synths as guitar rumbles clang beneath heavy toms. The droning vocals, meanwhile, ride a dark wave, smoothing the band's cacophony into a narcoleptic ghost dance." Suffice it to say they had me flashing back to the old Hawkwind days and scratching for every last glimmer of light to shoot by. The song here is called 'Swans'. http://punkcast.com/1337/ Thu, 08 May 2008 15:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1337 Genevieve Ballon is the lead vocalist/musician with Long Island band Past Mistress. Here we see her in a rare solo performance at Brooklyn's Goodbye Blue Monday. Mostly she played synth or guitar, but for one song - 3:14 - she sat down at the GBM honky tonk, and that is the one we have here. http://punkcast.com/1324/ Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1324 What will come of the next decade on the Internet? We often take for granted the state of the net today, but there's no guarantee that it will remain this way. Will the digital future be dystopian, or is there a brighter outlook ahead than some may believe? Our panelists - thinkers and net visionaries, with backgrounds ranging from art, law, technology, politics, media, culture, and entrepreneurship - provided their perspectives on the future of the net, and engaged with members of the audience to further the exploration of what lies ahead. http://punkcast.com/1317/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1317 Jonathan Zittrain is something of an Internet prodigy. A co-founder of the Berkman Center at Harvard, he is now the Professor of Internet Governance and Regulation at the Oxford Internet Institute in England, these being the two premier institutions in the field. Jonathan has written a book 'The Future of the Internet - And How to Stop It' and this event was in the nature of a launch party three days before its official release date. Zittrain explains that the Internet and much of what is built on top of it is "generative" - it welcomes change from anyone, anywhere. The benefits of generativity are innovative output (new things that improve people's lives), and participatory input (the opportunity to connect with other people, work with them, and express oneself). But security issues online, like viruses, spyware, and invasions of privacy, will see this generative infrastructure replaced by fashionable "tethered appliances," including iPods, iPhones, Xboxes, and TiVos. These devices are not generative-they can't be modified easily by users, even as they are continuously regulated and controlled by their makers. Zittrain offers an accessible discussion of the looming problems of an "appliancized" future and provides a set of visionary solutions to help stop it. http://punkcast.com/1258/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1258 The Daves - Dave Sewelson on Bari Sax, Dave Hofstra on tuba, Stephen Moses on drums/trombone - are described in the RUCMA press release for this show as 'the progenitors and perpetuators of post-contemporary music with a focus on the lower sonorities'. Here we see them, performing as part of the Vision/RUCMA Series at the Living Theatre, as they are joined by 'fourth wheel' Caito Marcondes, a visiting Brazilian percussionist. http://punkcast.com/1255/ Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1255 In PUNKCAST#1190 we saw a public meeting, subsequent to the closing of Tonic, where the NYC avant-jazz community committed themselves to working to create themselves a new home and, in fact, a whole organization to pursue the interests of grassroots creativity in the city. That organization has now taken shape as 'Rise Up Creative Music and Arts' aka RUCMA. Just about its first activity has to been to gather musicians from the post-Tonic diaspora for a series of concerts in the Living Theatre's space on the Lower East Side. For the inaugural event Lisle Ellis, a veteran improvising bassist, originally from Canada, brought in his new trio. So new, in fact, they hadn't even played together before. Ned Rothenberg, on alto sax, is a well-known musician who I was pleased to discover is, like many of the younger Brooklyn artrockers, an Oberlin alumnus. Gustavo Aguilar, on percussion, is a recent transplant from Texas. They played several 'Inventions' - purely improvised pieces, one cover, and the two clips I give you here which are from the heart of the set. The first 'Untitled' being an Ellis composition, and the latter 'Gravity' is from Aquilar. http://punkcast.com/1251/ Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1251 To inaugurate the 2009 New York Guitar Festival a free concert was held in the spacious glass atrium of the World Financial Center, right next to 'Ground Zero'. The theme of the night was to have different artist interpret, in order, each of the songs of the infamous Bob Dylan 'Royal Albert Hall' bootleg - in fact recorded in Manchester - from 1966. Inaugurating this inaugural were our pals Oakley Hall, now stripped down to a lean mean quartet, performing the very first song 'She Belongs To Me'. I was still trying to resolve red tape as they went on, but just managed to fumble the camera out and start shooting as they went into the second verse... http://punkcast.com/1240/ Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1240 We last saw TK Webb, Brooklyn's Missouri bluesman, 30 months ago in the rustic environs of PUNKCAST#738. Since then he's gotten a haircut, put out an acclaimed solo album 'Phantom Parade' on The Social Registry, and, more to the point, acquired a band - the Visions. Here we see them trying out their licks on the Manhattan party crowd on a Saturday night at the Cake Shop. The tunes I've picked are 'Chess Hustler' and 'Angeles' - both likely to appear on their forthcoming album for Fat Possum Records. http://punkcast.com/1224/ Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1224 This, the release party for Sightings new album 'Through the Panama', was the probably the NYC art-noise event of the year. Aficianadoes are still chuckling over Sightings spectacular appearance at Oneida's 10th Anniversary bash at PS1 on the Labor Day weekend which caused much consternation amongst the unsuspecting groovers, but on this day everyone was well-prepared, particularly after a couple of choice openers. First up was Vizusa who, as we have mentioned before, are former members of Excepter. In mostly improvised pieces Caitlin's electronically warped wails are grounded by Calder's distorted wah-wah guitar. While the first clip 'Paleman' is somewhat reflective, on the second - 'Teenage Man', where they are joined by Pete Nolan of Magik Markers on drums, there's no holding back. Next up was Metalux, a two woman ensemble that, having been going since 1997, are comparative scene veterans. They utilized a complex amount of electronics - some evidently DIY, and some decidedly vintage - plus guitars to create rich aural textures. The first clip is 'Helena Nebrask' and the second, longer, clip is their closer 'Spor Fabrica'. Then we were on to the main event. Sightings are difficult to characterise. Ostensibly sparse deconstructionists they are also a driving rock band. Art-noise on rocket fuel. One thing is for sure, they are absolutely engaging, unless you are a PS1 groover of course, or the overweight drunk at this show who at one point passed out and fell over onto the stage, soaking guitarist Mark's pedals in the process. The songs here are '66' which, as far as I can tell, is unrecorded, and their encore, a tune from the new record, 'Perforated'. Finally, as a special treat, we had Andrew W.K., who produced the record, do a short set of keyboard improvisations. Each was quite different in tone and style. He'd explore a theme, pulling it this way and that, before finally rocking it out. The first clip is the first piece he played, utilizing a traditional piano sound. The second is the clavinetesque 'Botched Bach' which he finished with, at least before being dragged back for an encore. http://punkcast.com/1222/ Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1222 Around 3 years ago I shot a peculiar NYC band called I Love You. Earlier this year I reviewed the footage and, on googling, discovered there was another band of the same name from Kansas City. They had an interesting sound so, when they visited NYC in November I checked them out. Missing them at Cake Shop, I had to go out to Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick, a quirky venue full of bric-a-brac. Formerly a trio, ILY are now a drum-guitar duo. Seeing them live it was clear what had intrigued me in the first place, and that is the atmospheric combination of quasi-steppers rhythms with noise-rock cut and slash. I've picked two good examples 'March of the Dead' and 'Myth of Gold". I spoke to the guitarist afterwards, asking if he was familiar with UK steppa mainstays such as Shaka and Iration. To my surprise the reply was.. not at all. http://punkcast.com/1237/ Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1237 Although new to me, and possibly, you, Echostream are by no means a new band. Years of development have given them a unique and matured sound that is world class. The band's roots lie in London where keyboardist Tony and singer Ryoko met while studying at the Royal Academy of Music ten years ago. They moved to Japan, where Ryoko scored a major record deal on the strength of her unusual voice (and, very likely, her good looks). Over time Echostream coalesced and developed their style. However the honchos at the label just didn't get it. Rather than compromise the band eventually resorted to a move to NYC and released their debut album 'Identity' on local indie Force Of Change Records in 2005. Since then the music has developed into a hardier, heavier, animal. Meanwhile they've been gigging steadily and gained a firm following amongst J-Rock aficianados. This year a tour of Europe raised their profile significantly. It's to be seen whether they can break out to the wider public in the USA. One thing is for sure, if they do, they will get huge, quickly. There's a definite chemistry in the band. Here we see them in a middle spot on a J-Rock show at Studio B with the crowd going nuts. I've picked the steaming opener - a new song - 'Rip You Down', and, from the album, a sensitive cover of Radiohead's 'Creep', a song that well shows off Ryoko's talent. http://punkcast.com/1234/ Sat, 8 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1234 The word 'seminal' is so overdone that it has practically been banned from Wikipedia,but if any band could be so described it is The Clean from Dunedin, New Zealand. Formed in 1978, they single-handedly kick-started their local scene before packing it in in 1983. That early 80's work, which combined a pop sensibility with a modern experimental approach, spread worldwide and set a template for 90's indie-rock. A brief late 80's reformation was kiboshed when drummer Hamish Kilgour moved to NYC. But occasional forays are still made made every few years. The recent release of a compilation on Merge records has led to wider recognition and they could easily play large rooms, nevertheless, on their first USA visit in 4 years, they chose to play a three night series at NYC's Cake Shop."An oasis in an ocean of shit" as guitarist David Kilgour put it. I shot all three shows, of which this was the last. The bad news is that on this night my recording of the vocals didn't work out so good. The good news is that the band did play the instrumental 'Fish' and so that is one of the songs here. It really shows off David's guitar talents which, while sounding thoroughly contemporary, echo early 60's twangers like Hank Marvin. The Clean are also known for little organ ditties, and so that is what I've picked for the other song, as Hamish sings what could be a DIY anthem - 'Whatever I Do Is Right' - while David plonks out the totally catchy melody on on a borrowed keyboard. Robert Scott is a powerhouse on bass. I missed show openers The Mad Scene, which is Hamish's own band, but he returned, just before The Clean went on, with a motley crew for an informal tribute to Syd Barrett - 'Effervescing Elephant'. Rounding out the show were Times New Viking, a joyfully ramshackle lo-fi band from Columbus, Ohio, recently picked up by Matador Records. I was just in time to get their last two songs, 'Dance Walhalla', and the half-Half Japanese cover 'Thing With A Hook'. http://punkcast.com/1095/ Thu, 15 Nov 2007 04:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1095 Glasgow trio Frightened Rabbit's debut album 'Sing The Greys' was a paradox. Ostensibly DIY - it gained wide distribution via Universal Records in the UK. NYC indie label Self-Starter was so impressed with the band that they literally went and fetched them over for a short East Coast tour in January 2007. This show, in a Brooklyn basement was the opening date, put on by Todd P. Before we got to them Elizabeth Sharp, aka Ill Ease, warmed up the crowd in her inimitable manner. Sharp sings and plays all the instruments in her band, including guitar, bass, and drums - at the same time! This miracle is achieved using digital looping devices. The song I've picked from her is 'The Two Party System' - a political diatribe. Then we were on to FR. Their sound is a kind of semi-frantic indie-pop, enhanced by hookiesque melodic alto basslines. Their harmonics evoke, to this listener at least, a sense of bagpipe skein, while the vocals echo Blonde On Blonde era Dylan. All in all an engaging combination. Despite the band being dazed and jetlagged, playing on borrowed gear, with minimal monitors, I think the song below 'Square 9' is a fair indicator of their potential. Later in the year the band returned to the USA twice, wowing at SXSW, and then touring for 5 weeks in the fall. 'Sing The Greys' has now been remastered and re-issued on Brighton indie Fat Cat Records . http://punkcast.com/1213/ Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1213 Los Angeles psyche-drone outfit The Warlocks sre a Punkcast favorite. They appeared on the site way back in May 2001 in #48 opening for Nikki Sudden. We caught up with them again a year later or so later in #165 when they were at their dope-crazed zenith. Since then they have signed with a major, toured internationally, gone through rehab, broken up/reformed, and sat in LA, all effectively beyond our horizons. Eventually, in 2007, they have heaved back in to view. A newly released indie album 'Heavy Deavy Skull Lover' led to them blitzing this year's CMJ and I caught up with them at a late-night spot at Glasslands in Williamsburg. The line up was a six-piece - as always featurung twin drummers, and spectacular guitars. A welcome new feature was an attractive female on bass. The new record is a deal darker than some of their more recent output. I've picked one of it's songs 'So Paranoid' as the first clip. The other 'Come Save Us' was the first single off their 2005 Mute album 'Surgery'. http://punkcast.com/540/ Sat, 20 Oct 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#540 After some years of semi-obscurity the artrock/electroclash boom, a new record 'American Dream' in 2002, and finally a rush of re-issues of their original classic albums, had made Suicide in 2004 once more one of the hippest tickets possible in NYC, 34 years after they formed. Their appearance here at Alex English's Social!sm night on Labor Day friday night was absolutely jammed. Adding zest to this show was the fact that it occurred on the final day of the Republican convention that had re-anointed George Bush. The whole city had been in a state of disgust and turmoil for days. Two qualities that contribute greatly to the essence of Suicide, so Alan Vega was in feisty form as he delivered songs like 'White Man' (2nd clip) - a sharp indictment of manifest destiny. After soundly cursing out the current regime as always Vega yet revealed hope to be alive in 'Dream Baby Dream' which culminated with a dramatic kung fu keyboard display from Martin Rev. (3rd clip). The supporting bill was made of bands supposedly inspired by the band and I arrived in time to catch Free Blood, a trio which included John Pugh and Dan Gorman from !!!. Duetting falsetto vocals seemed to owe as much to Prince as Suicide. The minimal bass and rhythm box backing also brought ESG to mind. Driving dance music whichever way you look at it. They announced that this was the rhythm box's swansong, apparently booted for superior technology. The song I've picked is 'Audacity'. http://punkcast.com/1193/ Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1193 San Francisco all-girl electro soul-punk group Von Iva first visited NYC a couple of years back, playing storming shows at Death Disco and Cake Shop during CMJ. I shot them both but never never did get around to posting them up. So many bands so little time.. This year - now stripped down to a power trio - they were due to yet again tear it up at CMJ. At the last minute - to the disappointment of many - they cancelled at the last minute, making some vague excuse to do with 'movies' and 'Los Angeles'. The good news is, I did catch them earlier in the year when, on a quick summer tour to promo their new album 'Our Own Island', they passed through the city. The venue again was the Cake Shop, on the totally appropiate night of the monthly QBR Lives! party - QBR standing for Queers, Beers, and Rears. Thus the place was filled with gender-benders absolutely ready to rave. Von Iva did not disappoint, banging out one disco-punk killer after another, all fronted by the bluesy voice of the magnificent Jillian. As they played the cover of Donna Summer's 'Hot Stuff' a skinny rocker got on stage to grope our Jill and things began to get a little out of hand.. She turned the tables on him doncha worry, and he was soon beating a retreat before she removed his underwear.. (first clip). The show climaxed with an extended version of 'No Man' a stomping anthem of female empowerment from the new record(second clip). With Beth & co. off to bigger things there are few better party bands in the nation right now. http://punkcast.com/1199/ Fri, 12 Oct 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1199 This was the final show of the East River Music project's 2007 season, curated by popular music website Paper Thin Wslls. I got down there early to catch These Are Powers who were slated first only to kick my heels for an hour as one band had cancelled. These Are Powers define their music as ghost-punk. A trio fronted by Pat Noecker (ex-Liars) and Anna Barie (ex-Knife Skills) this was their first show with a new drummer Bill Salas (aka Brenmar) from Chicago. Bill augmented his percussion with an electronic box of tricks that certainly enhanced the overall eeriness. Free noise improvisation coalesces into compelling throbbing excursions. I've picked two pieces from early in the set 'Peel Some Off' and 'You Come With Nothing'. I was all set to scoot off to the Monster Island street party after These Are Powers set but was persuaded by the Paper Thin Walls fellow to hang on for Clockcleaner, which he described as "skronky street punk from Philadelphia, right up your alley.." While this is not a bad description of this band, another trio, they had character beyond that. Singer/guitarist John Sharkey is apparently known for his confrontational antics, but on this sunny afternoon was relatively mellow. Bassist Karen Horner was virtuosic on a 6-string bass despite what appeared to be a broken finger. Drummer Richie Charles was almost jazzy at times. I've picked their last two songs 'Daddy's Home' and the GG Allin cover 'Die When You Die'. http://punkcast.com/1206/ Sat, 06 Oct 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1206 A Todd P affair on a Monday night, this was just the second show of Magik Markers tour in support of 'Boss' - their new Ecstatic Peace! release. The band have shed their bassplayer, and are down to the duo of Elisa Ambrogio and Pete Nolan, augmented live by a girl called Julie on keyboards. The music successfully combines a raga-like serenity with emotional noise freakout. Elisa, looking as alluringly frumpy as ever, broke a string on the spectacular first song 'Pat Garrett' (3rd clip below) but continued without batting an eyelid. In the improvised 'Free Jam' (last clip) she speculated about the meaning and interconnectedness of life. 'Boss', a truly great record, will likely appear on many best of lists at the end of the year and thus there was a keen crowd who lapped it all up.I have to give it to Todd, the underbill was a masterpiece worthy of Fitz. Opening act Under Satan's Sun are a fascinating outfit. Somehow rooted in the No-Neck Blues band they are a metal band fronted by Silvie and Chloe Jensen on vocals. Like the characters in the classic book the name is taken from the sisters are like night and day - one a raven-haired death metal rasper, the other a golden-haired and voiced princess. A friend I showed the video called it The Corrs meet Motorhead. It's a powerful combination whatever way you look at it. They've been going a year but this was only their fourth show. Apparently they have had difficulty finding a niche in the NYC scene. I'm sure that they will succeed in creating their own. The song I've picked is 'Stand Up And Fight'. Filling out the middle spot was caUSE coMOTION!, a well-known and loved Brooklyn power-pop trio. Their music, a rush of dorky exuberance, a mix of cracked adolescent angst with Hank Marvin twang, had some younger members of the crowd pogoing like crazy. The song I've picked is 'who's gonna care?'. http://punkcast.com/10years.html Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:04:00 EST http://punkcast.com/10years.html It's 1O years and 1200 shoots since punkcast started in September 1997. There will be a screening/party tonight @ Secret Project Robot in Brooklyn. Click the link for more info and a brief history. http://punkcast.com/1190/ Fri, 07 Sep 2007 14:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1190 The day after the popular Lower East Side experimental music club Tonic closed down in April 2007, a group of jazz musicians and other artists - calling themselves 'Take It To The Bridge' - commandeered it for a farewell protest/party which was promptly busted by the NYPD, with several arrests including musicians Marc Ribot and Rebecca Moore. A few days later, a demonstartion was held on the steps of City Hall where they demanded the City take steps, specifically providing a reasonably sized paying venue, to support the avant music scene, noting the irony that the City subsidizes European classical musicians to come and play in NYC, while the city's own avant and jazz musicians themselves often have to go to Europe to get paying gigs. Four months later, the movement having progressed to a general feeling of frustration over the difficulties musicians and artists are facing, gentrification etc, and also in a desire to reach out into the community for support, it was decided to gather the various threads into Rise Up Creative Music and Arts - Rise Up for short - a pressure group to tie together and advocate the goals of several non-profits and other activists in the field, both to politicians and the public. The first step was an inaugural public meeting which is what you see here. The first two clips are the introductory remarks from founders master bassplayer William Parker and dancer/choreographer Patricia Nicholson. The third is an update from Marc Ribot (and Barbara Burch) on how the venue campaign has been progressing. Pianist Connie Crothers addresses the problems of artist housing with a particular emphasis on the peculiar needs of musicians. Aaron Friedman is the founder of MAke Music NY, which, on June 21st each year, organizes a huge quantity of open air free concerts on the streets of the city. The next clip is an ascerbic interjection by William Parker on the nature of politicians, leading to the closing contrarian comments from Margaret Davis who cautions those assembled from being corrupted by pecuniary priorities. Go to the site to find links to the whole meeting invideo and audio. http://punkcast.com/1189/ Sat, 01 Sep 2007 14:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1189 I have been following NYC electro/improv gtoup Excepter for some years, but this is the first time I've got around to posting any. Excepter was founded by J F Ryan, previously of the No Neck Blues band, around 5 years ago. The early band included Caitlin Cook and Calder Martin before they left to form Vizusa. Since then the band settled to a fairly stable 4-piece so I was surprised at this show to see the addition of two more players, both female. With openers Ghost Exit absent (a car containing their gear had been impounded) on this night Excepter were able to stretch out and played for almost an hour and a half. The music is based on cross-patterned sequencers, overlayed with echoed weirdness and distorted vocals, all to shamanic effect. J F Ryan provides a visual focus. He has a peculiar motion - a kind of stuttering pad. He also has a tendency to grab any nature of convenient objects or ideas and turn them to his purpose. An exercise the new girls enthusiastically joined in on. In the second clip 'Fry' you can see them playing with (frying?) the auras of Rocky's patrons making their way to the men's room, situated to the rear of the stage. In the 3rd clip, the multifaceted 'The Frogs / Faces Shine / Stars' one of the girls takes to playing the hi-hat with the soles of her boots. The first clip ''Burgers' is far more rocky (no pun intended) than Excepter's usual output, featuring acoustic drums and a meaty synth riff from DJ Count Porkchopolis. http://punkcast.com/1188/ Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1188 Domenic Priore's book 'Riot On Sunset Strip; Rock'N'Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood' concerns the brief period in the mid 60's when Los Angeles, specifically Hollywood, became the nexus of surf music, folk-rock, pop art, soul, jazz, activism, psychedelics and hedonism that marked the birth of modern rock culture. It was rapidly busted out of existence by the City Fathers. The riot itself occurred on Nov 12 1966 when cops shut down the Pandora's Box club that was a central component. Later a movie, a psyche-trash classic, was made based on the events of that evening. In the first clip below, after he had read a passage about how the arrival of Hockney and activities of Warhol fueled a burgeoning art scene, Domenic is asked how the teens of the day related to that. He suggests it was the artist's activist events that sealed the relationship. In the second clip he traces the path, via that same activist environment, from bubblegum to Woodstock. He concludes by scorning the revisionist 'Summer Of Love' hype. Both of his proposed guests, Gary Panter and Artie Kornfeld, were no shows. However, serendipitously, an audience member had encountered Mark Loomis, a founding member of the Chocolate Watch Band - who actually appeared in the original movie - outside on the street and invited him in. Mark was prevailed upon to talk, and gave insight into the frustrations, much due to restrictive performance laws, that caused the thriving early NYC 60s folk-rock scene to start California Dreamin'. He also pointed out that a not small reason the teens liked the radical art scene was that it was one place that, given California 21+ drinking laws, they could socialize and booze freely (3rd clip). http://punkcast.com/1186/ Tue, 21 Aug 2007 04:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1186 I detailed the relationship with Luscious Jackson, and Gabby Glaser in particular, back in PUNKCAST#1133. I remember running into Gabby backstage at the Strummer shows in 2002 and asking her what she was up to. "Carpentry." was the totality of her reply. She seemed in no rush to get back onstage. And indeed it has taken 5 years. Enough time though for her to put together an ace band - the (modestly named) Great Ones - that are pure NYC. This, a relaxed affair on a Monday night, was just their second show - after an earlier, more-hyped, debut at Union Hall. The first song here 'Spirit Of Long Island' was her opener. Typical of her music, it features wah-wah rhythm and the conversational vocals that were a trademark of LJ, all whipped up to the next level by the band. Before we got to them, however, we had an exotic treat - ninetynine, from Melbourne Australia. Currently a trio ninetynine is the vehicle of scot Laura Macfarlane - the original drummer of Sleater Kinney. ninetynine was her solo project just around the same time, and eventually coalesced into a band which has toured extensively internationally in the years since, becoming a staple on the underground indie circuit. What particularly sets them apart from the usual indie fare are the ethnic influences in the music, and the use of melodic percussion from casiotones to vibraphones, all of which support Laura's broguish laments. Here you can see two songs - 'Avalanche' and 'Steel' both utilizing xylophones, one a fair size, and one a toy. Also note Cameron Potts' use of his hands to play the drumset to get the rhythm going in 'Avalanche'. Excellent stuff. http://punkcast.com/1167/ Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1167 What wasn't mentioned on this, the second NYC date of critically acclaimed Austin band Peel's first tour of the East Coast, was that Josh Parmenter - founder and major songwriter of the band - was nowhere to be seen. One wouldn't have known, however, from the show which rocked. The music is restless, amorphous. It's a kind of gentle country twee - the first clip 'Oskaloosa' - to airy rock - the second clip 'Bells' - with garage overtones that want to break out into full-on Texas psyche, which they do on the last clip - a cover of the The 13th Floor Elevators 'You're Gonna Miss Me'. http://punkcast.com/1185/ Thu, 9 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1185 Cheap Perfume are an all-girl rock band that was formed by two CBGB waitresses back in 1977. As well as playing CBGB they soon gained a residency at Max's and opened for everybody from the Dead Boys to Johnny Thunders. Despite patronage from the likes of movers Peter Crowley, Jane Friedman, and Ian Copeland, they remained a downtown NYC live phenom and didn't, to my knowledge, even put out a record before calling it a day in 1982. Like more than one other band of the period the impending demise of CBGB in 2006 was enough to pull them back together to once more grace the hallowed shithole's stage before it disappeared forever. A few more shows followed, but all of these were sans singer Lynn Odell who now lives in L.A. - the rest of the band filling in on vocals. Finally, at this show at The Baggott Inn, Lynn returned to the fold and the full line-up once again was able to rock out. And rock out they did, despite the jokes about menopause, grannys etc, in no uncertain manner. Guitarist Bunny particularly crunched with a big Les Paul sound. One could see in Lynn's sly leer why she would have made a good foil for our Stiv. Drummer Brenda was rock solid, and kept up a stream of facetious ad-libs between songs that had the crowd howling. Nancy and Suzie filled in the sound on rhythm and bass and harmonies with grace. Here you have the last two songs of the set - 'Ordinary Girls', 'Forever Damaged', and the encore - for which the band were joined by Jana Peri on backing vocals - 'Boys'. http://punkcast.com/865/ Sat, 4 Aug 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#865 This one is for the guy who came up to me last week at the Slits McCarren show and requested Acid Mothers Temple - you know who you are. NYC was one of the final stops on the lengthy first tour of the Cosmic Inferno line-up in 2005, with the band joined on drums by Steve Lohman - a veteran, by a circuitous route, of local hard core nutters Sheer Terror. Kawabata Makoto gave the audience a choice - the band could either play free jazz "like Sonny Sharrock" or "just freak out crazy music".. Naturally the vote was overwhelming for the latter, and that was what we got, with a vengeance. What I give you here is the final piece, 20 minutes long - the "IAO Chant" - which borrows the popular Gong 'Om' riff, and morphs into the over the top guitar-destroying 'Speed Guru'. Playing before AMT were their tourmates for this leg NYC band The Occasion, since dubbed 'country-prog' in the UK. They were a much calmer proposition, but did get into wider aural experimentations at times, as in the first clip which is the middle section of their 'Equine' triptych. An unusual feature of The Occasion is Sara Shaw who manipulates loops of strange noises through an industrial strength tape player. I've also included the uptempo final song of their set 'The Deserters'. http://punkcast.com/1169/ Tue, 31 Jul 2007 02:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1169 The opening day of the East River Music Project's 2007 concert series occurred on the Saturday of the first really hot weekend of the NYC summer, the same day as the annual Gay Pride Parade. The show was curated by Secret Project Robot and a line-up that would have done the old Mighty Robot proud had been procured, including, remarkably, the first time the full 4-piece Ex Models had played together in 3 years, and Hundred Eyes - the new band from the Tall Boys girls. First up was singer/songwriter Mike Bones, who has a record due out later in the year on Social Registry. He entertained in a self-effacing folky minstrel fashion, given edge by the fact he was strumming a majorly distorted SG. I've picked 'No Pussy Blues' - a Grinderman cover - which he was too embarrassed to announce the title of, or deliver the punchline, but sang with conviction, and his closer 'Everybody's Always Coming Down On Me'. Hundred Eyes are a thoroughly existential experience, raw and ethereal. Vanessa and Aviva are joined by Nick Ray from Vive L'American Death Ray Music, dressed today like the Grand Mufti, and Joe from Pterodactyl. Tunes range from loosely structured songs to total improvisation with Nick mashing his vocals through multiple audio effects. I've picked a piece of pure improv from early in the set and then the cathartic closer, the politically dubiously titled 'White Supremacy' - in which you can see Vanessa play sax and bass at the same time. S-S-S-Spectres, in contrast, are tightly arranged. One's heard of concept albums, but they actually came up here with the concept show - their whole set was presented as a pagan ritual, with incantations to the moon and the sun, the latter feeling particularly appropiate given the weather, and the the East River Park bandshell's history as the birthplace of 'Shakespear In The Park. Their set was even enhanced by the appearance of a pair of puckish dancers - apparently brought down by SPR to function as cupcake distributing donation magnets - who leapt and twisted spectacularly in front of the stage. Here you've got the final two songs of the set 'Victorian Gentleman With A Nervous Disposition' and 'Witches vs Wolves'. As mentioned this was a historic reunion of Ex Models. After shedding guitarist Shah and drummer Jake, the core of Zach and Shahin had moved the band in a more austere direction, if still devo-ishly quirky, that they termed 'Fundustrial'. Eventually they got so involved in the hard rhythms they added one, then two, then, ultimately, three drummers, and the shows became intensely primal. For relief, perhaps, and rejoined by Shah, they recently formed a side project - Knife Hyts - that is much more guitar oriented, verging into heavy rock. I suspect that it was this that gave them a hankering to take another shot at some of the classic Ex Models material. Whichever way it's wonderful to see Jake back in the line-up, precise and explosive as he is. I've picked three: 'You Got What I Need' - the short sharp opening shot; 'Chrome Hearts' - an absolute monster; and '32 Weeks' which, as Shahin explains, has evolved from its beginnings as a Mekons cover to something totally different and back. http://punkcast.com/1184/ Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1184 Opening for Sonic Youth's 'Daydream Nation' show in the derelict McCarren Park Pool in Greenpoint, Brooklyn - this was just the second time, as far as I know, the current version of The Slits have ever been anything other than a headliner. Tessa told me it was the biggest crowd the band had played to since they opened for the Clash, back in the day. Hurried for time, they had to cut their set in half. Ari was so rushed she even omitted her customary big-ups to Brooklyn, her home from home. It was evident that many present were not too familiar with the band. Ari did her usual job of educating about the nexus of punk and reggae, and threw in a couple of uptempo dancehall jams. The song that really won the crowd over, taken from the band's new EP 'Revenge of the Killer Slits', was the singalong anthem 'Kill Them With Love' and that is the clip here. They were just able to fit in 'Typical Girls' at the end as the union stagehands moved to pull the power. http://punkcast.com/1183/ Fri, 27 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1183 Bat For Lashes' star is rising fast over in the UK. A week prior to this show their album 'Fur and Gold' was included in the short list for the prestigious Mercury Prize. They are only just now turning their sights on the U.S. and, apart from a quickie one night stand at Joe's Pub in May, this was their first american show, the opener for a brief tour. They seemed very relaxed in the friendly environs of Maxwell's, and gratified to discover they already had staunch fans. While Natasha Khan is very much the personality of the group, the other three girls complement her perfectly. They all switch instruments seamlessly and exude the same sense of rococo fashion, but the main feature is Natasha's voice, clear as a bell and pitch perfect. After kicking off with a cover of Nico's 'Le Petit Chevalier' they played every song but one from the album. Many were gently ruminative, but I've picked two of the more lively outings. 'Trophy', a meaningful song about renewal, was the band's first single and gave the album it's title. 'Sarah', minimally electro on record, is given what amounts to shanty treatment live. http://punkcast.com/1180/ Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1180 I was able to get two birds (one of them prehistoric even) with one stone at this show. Shock Cinema are new to the Brooklyn scene, the core having been enticed north from Atlanta, and then enveloped with local talent to immediately become one of the coolest new outfits in town. Fronted by the delectable Destiny Montague, and anchored by Rodgers Sister Miyuki Furtado. What gives them their ditinctive sound is the jagged soul-edge guitar work of Autry Rene Fulbright II, driven by with Danny Wood's strong bass playing. A record seems to be out in Germany, and they've been snapped up by Brooklyn indie Kanine Records. I've picked their opener 'Albatross' which doesn't, as far as I can tell, appear on either record (please excuse the howls of feedback while Todd P sets the sound and I get my camera out); and 'Art Of Noir' which just could be their most popular number. Then it was on to Pterodactyl. While not actually dinosaurs, they have been around the Brooklyn scene for a few years. Their intense approach is not unsimilar to other local mainstays like Oneida and Ex Models and, in fact, their LP has been released on Oneida's own Brah Records and Zach Ex Model has been filling in on bass for them while member Kurt has been away at school this last year. School done, he's back and this was a final warm-up/farewell before they set off across the country on a no-holds-barred tour. I've picked the harmonious, and according to the band - awkward - 'Esses' and the epic closer 'Polio'. http://punkcast.com/1165/ Wed, 25 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1165 Blood Red Shoes are an artrock duo from Brighton UK. Steven Ansell plays drums, Laura-Mary Carter plays guitar, and they both sing. Comparisons have been made with The White Stripes and the YYY's, but the similarity is superficial, even if Laura-Mary certainly has got the Zinner buzz tone down pat. Blood Red Shoes music exudes quintessential english droll rather than american drawl of those bands. Here we see them playing their first ever U.S. show as the slightly unsung openers on the second night of the 'In The City' showcase organized by Tony Wilson. Some, including myself, would consider they upstaged the more-hyped outfits that followed. The two songs I've chosen are current single 'It's Getting Boring By The Sea' and the raucous closer 'ADHD'. http://punkcast.com/1145/ Sat, 21 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1145 This was the final concert of three that concluded Swiss photographer George Gatsas' exhibit at the Swiss Institute, a large upper floor space on Broadway in downtown Manhattan. The exhibit, which ran for six weeks, was the sixth in a series that examined the creative process. It featured Georg's photos of bohemian artists such as Breyer Porridge and Jim Thirwell, along with a room dedicated to their work. In a major coup he secured the nyc date of The Young Gods, perhaps the biggest band to ever come out of Switzerland (except, say, for Krokus and, in some circles, LiLiPuT) in what was one of the initial dates of an international tour to support their newly released album 'Super Ready / FragmentÉ' released just a week before on Ipecac Recordings. The Young Gods made their name as electro pioneers in the 80's, one of the first rock acts ever to make it without guitars. Ironically, today they are predominantly acoustic and fronted by three guitars. Their music is hypnotic and lush trance-folk. At time they utilize unconventional instruments from toys to unplugged amplifiers to, what looks to me like, a hibachi. I've picked three songs: 'Charlotte' - a gallic ditty; 'Gardez Les Esprits/Ghost Rider' - an epic mash-up of one of their own best known songs with the Suicide classic, perhaps in a tribute to NYC; and 'She Rains' - an ambiguous meditation that showcases Al Comet's sitar-guitar. Lizzi Bougatsos of Gang Gang Dance was one of the artists featured in Georg's exhibit and so, after The Young Gods - as the final act of the final show of the Final Concert Series - came I.U.D. which is a collaboration between Lizzi and Sadie Laska. Both of them pound drumkits, and Lizzi vocalizes. In the words of the program, "I.U.D. harnesses the sounds of tribal drumming and ethereal hymns and transform them into an atmospheric, sometimes chaotic, sometimes harmonious wall of sound." I had to leave for another show early in their set but here you have the second and third pieces in their set - which I hope I have correctly titled - 'Sun City' and 'Ghetto Spear'. http://punkcast.com/1179/ Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1179 I've noted before that when club bookers, who see hundreds of bands, go nuts over an act it's usually worth paying attention. In this case it's Xiaoting Luo who books The Annex and the band is Generals and Majors, an amalgam of some of the best NYC rockers in recent years fronted by what appears to be a cross between Gene Vincent and Sylvester Stallone. They are certainly all hopped up and ready to go. I've picked three songs from their hell-for-leather set - 'Waiting For The Kill', 'New York City', and the crazy closer 'Drink From My Cup'. http://punkcast.com/1178/ Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1178 The Homosexuals, mainly in the persons of Bruno Wizard and Anton Hayman, were London post-punk pioneers. Formed from the ashes of punk band The Rejects in 1978 they proliferated DIY projects on their own and other labels over the next few years, never hanging around long enough to be pigeonholed, before disappearing into the ether. Bruno Wizard re-appeared in 2004 for a short East Coast tour, including a sold-out show at NYC's Knitting Factory, and a comprehensive retrospective album 'Astral Glamour' was released. Now, in 2007, he's ready for another go round, and has recruited NYC band Imaginary Icons to back him. This show was a sneak preview of what is to come when they tour in October. It's always a bit of a jawdropper to see someone from the executive side take the stage (think Gerard Cosloy with GG.Allin) so I was surprised to see that the II's include Tom Hyland aka Tom Dash on bass. They did an excellent job of supplying a scratchy post-punk-funk foundation for what Bruno - who does have the demeanor of a manic magician, maybe combined with Patrick McGoohan in 'The Prisoner' - deemed a Homosexuals 'greatest hits' set. I've picked two songs, the aforementioned 'Astral Glamour' and the epic 'You're Not Moving (The Way You're Supposed To)'. http://punkcast.com/1171/ Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1171 I started paying attention to the Screaming Females back in April after Jim Testa named them the most exciting new NJ band in 10 years. I had to wait til midsummers day before they eventually showed up at Cake Shop on the third night of an extensive national tour to promote their second album. I too was impressed. The band is a trio. They are a band of contradictions. Generally very tight, they are occasionally almost jazzily loose. They mix raving queercore and indie awkwardness with fluid blues riffing and solos. While the rhythm section appear to be a couple of regular college dudes, fronting on guitar and vocals is a dimunitive minx with an overgrown Herman Hermit haircut. See for yourself.. The three songs here are 'Mothership', 'Theme Song', and 'Sports'. http://punkcast.com/1166/ Tue, 3 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1166 Back in 2005, when I first shot Brakes for PUNKCAST#854 I learnt that the drummer and guitarist - the White brothers - were also in The Electric Soft Parade. While unfamiliar with that band what I noticed was the reverence with which cognoscenti mentioned the name. They were obviously something special, and it gave immense kudos to Brakes that such illustrious musicians should forsake their own project to partake. After waiting over a year and a half to see what the fuss was about, I was finally rewarded when 'The Freewheelin' Tour' rolled into Maxwells in Hoboken. This trek, in which the bands covered 7000+ miles playing 16 dates in 17 days, comprised of Brakes - now known for USA purposes as BrakesBrakesBrakes - headlining, Brooklyn up-and-comers Pela - who's label Worlds Fair organized the outing - 2nd on the bill, and The Electric Soft Parade - who have a new record "No Need To Be Downhearted' out on the LA label Better Looking Records - in the opening spot. One can be sure that by the time they reached Maxwells they were all well locked in. I discovered that ESP have their own moonlighting pop star in the form of drummer Mathew Priest, from the very popular 90's UK band Dodgy. It's hard to express just how good ESP are - fortunately I don't have to as the clips below will amply illustrate. Think the Beatles meet Radiohead with Floydian overtones. I give you 3 songs: the jaunty 'Cold World'; 'Have You Ever Felt Like It's Too Late?' which is from the new album; and the epic 'Everybody Wants'. Pela are four young Brooklyn Joes who put heart and passion into their music, which is mostly upbeat with dense lyrics. The songs here are 'Tenement Teeth', 'Cut Your Names' - which funnily enough employs the same riff that Brakes made their own on their cover of CVB's 'They Shut Us Down' and Pela lend some Eamon-like vocal mannerisms to, and the optimistic 'Your Desert's Not A Desert At All'. Apparently Pela's drummer is originally a Jersey boy and loud local contingent turned out to cheer him along. Brakes Brakes Brakes mix it up a lot in their sets. There are songs that last a matter of seconds. There are political savagings. There are wistful love songs. There are cracking covers. It would be very easy to select the latter, but I liked the songs off the new album. The title track 'Beatific Visions' evokes the ecstasy of fresh love, 'On Your Side' is a country stomper about communication, and finally the crowd pleaser, featuring novel headwear, "Porcupine Or Pineapple" is about the ephemerality of disputes. http://punkcast.com/994/ Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#994 Yula Be'eri is well known as the alluring bass player with World Inferno/Friendship Society (see them in PUNKCAST#252). She also has her own band NaNuchKa, a gypsy-jazz power-trio, who I'd become aware of after they played Death Disco NY in 2005. This, on the 2006 summer solstice, was the coming out do for their self-released CD 'A Carefully Planned Accident'. It was grand party, with not only music, but enough sumptuous middle-eastern food to feed the entire crowd. Before Nanuchka went on everyone tried to squeeze into the basement where Jack Terricloth played with a crazy NJ band called Thackeray's Victims. Then it was on to the main event. Yula is as good a singer as a bass player, which is saying something. Unfortunately somehow my audio recording of the vocals got screwed up, so the only example I can give you here is when Jack T., having noted that Yula would not be joining WI/FS for their forthcoming tour, got up and joined her in a duet of 'Dream A Little' - the band being quiet enough that one can hear them. Otherwise I give you the two instrumentals they played: 'Oh Yeah Says' - on which they were joined by Peter Hess on clarinet; and the closer - 'Arabic' - on which they were joined by Tzafrir Lichtenstein on handdrum. Tzafrir a man of many talents being not just a musician but also responsible for the wonderful food. In the way that things go none of these tunes are in fact on the CD, but I still recommend you pick up a copy if you can. http://punkcast.com/1142/ Tue, 26 Jun 2007 20:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1142 Sometimes everything goes smoothly with the punkcasting, and sometimes not. This would be one of the latter. First, arriving at Studio B in fair time for this - the first major showcase of this extremely hot Brooklyn band - I discovered I'd left my audio recorder behind. This resulted in a frantic cab dash to Manhattan & back to pick it up, but I was up and shooting by the time the band hit their second song.. Then, secondly, after editing the whole thing down and encoding etc, I accidentally wiped it all from my hard drive. Thankfully I had a copy of the DVD I'd made for the band, so I was able to rescue it, albeit at slightly reduced quality. I think you'll agree that nevertheless the results are worth the effort. A&A, like Semi Precious Weapons (featured in PUNKCAST#1142), are part of fresh surge of glorious glam in NYC. While SPW are coming from rock'n'roll, Apes & Androids are a deal more progressive and theatrical. They employed different lighting schemes and props for just about every song at this show, which was a Four Eyed Monsters DVD release party hosted by popular DJ twins Finger On The Pulse. Here I give you the first three songs after I got the camera rolling: 'Hot Kathy', the nearest thing to a hit the band has right now, features a spectacular keyboard solo; 'Nights Of The Week' - for which the lights went down and rainbow glo-sticks were handed out to the entire crowd; and 'Put Your Hands Up' - for which the audience were joined by the band's own team of incredibly good-looking cheerleaders. http://punkcast.com/1151/ Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1151 The Jammyland All Stars have found a new venue for their occasional jams with reggae veterans - Rockys bar in Williamsburg. A venue that, as I have remarked before, is not noted for formality. At a recent night Sammy Dread made a brief cameo and before he left, made a promise to return for a full session, of which this show was the fulfilment. Ira and the band had made sure to do their homework and fired off rhythm after rhythm of Sammy's classics. Sammy, majestic and immaculately natty, fielded everything they threw at him with panache, a smile on his face, and a Guinness in his hand. He effortlessly showed why his singing is ranked on a par with the greats of reggae. It is his lot to mostly work in the dancehall these days and he was obviously delighted to be back in a rub-a-dub environment. He often wheeled up the songs to says so, as you will see in the clips. We have the second go-round of 'Come Back Darling' the cuss-cuss showstopper from his classic 1982 Channel one album 'Roadblock'- which I have to mention Pitchfork staff included in their 2005 Worst Record Covers of All Time list - and then his original 1978 debut hit 'African Girl'. http://punkcast.com/1161/ Thu, 21 Jun 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1161 Brian Chase is the one musician who, from his regular gig banging for the YYY's to tabla with Oakley Hall, to seriously weird experimental music, has appeared more often on Punkcast than any other. Here we see him again in the experimental mode, slightly more jazzy this time, in a duo with Seth Misterka, who we've also recently seen on Punkcast with Sexy Champions, at Cake Shop. They played three pieces of which this is the second. The rubber gloves and Chinese good luck money that cover the stage were left over from the previous act. http://punkcast.com/1156/ Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1156 We already noted in PUNKCAST#1159 that TV On The Radio maintain contact with the Brooklyn scene, but Kyp Malone, who is originally from Seattle, also has roots in San Francisco where he played in bands at the end of the 90's. He's a definite aficianado of John Dwyer, a major character in that area. John, known for his stints with art-noise duo Pink & Brown and the maniacal Coachwhips, has also nursed another band over the years. OCS, sometimes known as Orinoka Crash Suite, originally a personal outlet, over four albums or so has graduated to full-blown status with its 2006 effort 'The Cool Death of Island Raiders' on Narnack. Kyp sings backup on the record, and, I suspect, is responsible for recruiting bandmate Dave Sitek to produce. When, in 2007, with a new DIY album 'Sucks Blood' out, they showed up in NYC for a few dates Kyp was right there to open up for them. On a Sunday night at the Cake Shop, I arrived just in time for Kyp's set. I got the camera going by the second song. Kyp, while softly spoken, takes no prisoners with his solo shows. His songs are highly metaphoric, emotional, zingers. I've picked 'Desperate Bitch' and the lengthy closer 'You Could Be Love'. The Ohsees, who eschewed the PA system to vocalize through their amps, are kind of hillbilly rager music as Dwyer trades vocals with Brigid Dawson, and guitar rhythms with Petey Dammit. Now, I'm not at all certain that I've titled the songs correctly (Please tell me if not). I've picked the enigmatic 'An Inquiry Perpetrated' and the tuneful 'Block Of Ice'. http://punkcast.com/1164/ Thu, 14 Jun 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1164 As a writer for the British music weekly NME in the punk years Chris Salewicz had ample opportunity to get to know The Clash. His down-to-earth sense of humor, broad taste in music, and strong penchant for reggae, rapidly earned him a spot in the band's inner circle. He continued to keep up with them through their ups and downs in the 80's and on. Now he has compiled much of his writings on Joe Strummer into a tome - 'Redemption Song - The Ballad Of Joe Strummer' for which he has been fortunate enough to score a major book deal with Faber & Faber, who duly flew him around the USA for readings. In NYC he eschewed the book stores in favor of Niagara, the East Village rock'n'roll bar that sports on it's exterior the mural that appears in the Redemption Song video itself. Chris read two pieces - the first one about the lesser known latter days of The Clash - the second and longer one about the glory days of the 'On Parole' tour. In his reading he revealed a remarkable talent for mimicry, accurately echoing all the members of the band and several interlopers, bringing howls of laughter from the crowd. His ear for the common and uncommon turn of phrase is what lends the book an immediacy us humble videographers can only aspire to. http://punkcast.com/1162/ Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1162 NYC hippie kid Josh Cheuse started taking pictures of The Clash in 1981 when he was 16 years old. Later he became one of their best buddies, touring with both Joe Strummer and Big Audio Dynamite. He photographed, tour managed, shot video, did art, designed sleeves, made videos - you name it. He also toured with other bands, and shot the early hip-hop scene in NYC. He's settled in recent years with a steady full-time gig as Art Director at Sony BMG. Recently he has found the time to make a book of a lot of those early photos, most never before seen. It's been published, in a limited edition, by clothing company StÜssy, who have also produced t-shirts with some of the pix. They've had Josh hauling off around the globe to do promotional signings, but here we see him doing one in a small downtown NYC bookstore. A lot of the many friends he's made over the years showed up to pay their respects, and grab a copy of this great book. http://punkcast.com/1160/ Sat, 9 Jun 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1160 One might think that Andy Bodor, who runs Cake Shop and books 4 bands a night, might become blasé about the music. Occasionally so, perhaps, but he also periodically gets totally knocked out by some of the performers. This happened a year or so ago with Standing Nudes, a blues-rock outfit out of Brooklyn. He'd extol their virtues to anyone who'd listen. Eventually they've got around to putting out a record, and he gave them a 3 week Friday night headlining residency to celebrate, of which this was the final night. Just recently a new group has bowled him over - a trio visiting from Denmark - Kirsten Kjester. Thus they were duly installed in an opening spot on this prestigious night. They put on a show that was hard to follow. Gentle indie pop grew intense and menacing then, via sonic freak out, ended with a party. I've picked two songs: 'River' from just over halfway, and the finale 'Kronprinz Frederik The Boat' where the audience partake as a cymbal stand. Given the job of following this was Lissy Trullie, a friend of the Nudes, with her band The Fibs. A lanky gamine tomboy with a casual ramshackle style that echo'd early 60's pop, and an engaging personality, Lissy pulled it off without a problem. I've picked the plaintive 'Billy' and the finale, a cover of Amy W.'s 'Rehab'. Then came the main feature. Standing Nudes are a five-piece that, to me at least, echoes the sound of the golden age of west-coast blues-rock. Sometimes spacey, ebbing and flowing with emotion, the music is dynamic, and played with precision and virtuosity. The songs are personal. I've picked the opener - See You Cry - when the sound was still settling down, and then 'Ghost Story' which is the title track of the band's new record. http://punkcast.com/1113/ Wed, 6 Jun 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1113 Although I've never posted video, Seth Misterka and Jennifer DeVeau, performing as Dynasty Electric Duo, have long been punkcast favorites. They have a healthy following in the far-east, where they've toured. A couple of years back they were recruited to portray the fictional band-next-door Sexy Champions for an MTV2 commercial. Fiction eventually became fact as they expanded to a full 6-piece line up and started playing out under the name. They've now recorded a demo and are ready to take on the world. Over the years there hasn't been a proper contender to take the crown of Blondie as NYC's top girl-fronted pop band, but Sexy Champions definitely have the potential. Perhaps they lack Blondie's alluring air of decadence though, their prime vice being cheap beer. We see them here having fun partying with their friends at a post-Valentines bash in the Newsonic loft in Brooklyn. I've picked two songs 'Don't Stay Away' and 'Girlfriend'. http://punkcast.com/1159/ Sat, 2 Jun 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1159 In the last couple of years TV On The Radio have scaled great heights of achievement and popularity, and toured widely. But they haven't lost their roots in the Brooklyn arts and music world. This was supposed to be a show for Tunde's side project , with Alianna from We Regazzi, Hiki Jiki at the Glasslands Gallery in Williamsburg. Alianna was, however, unable to make it. Tunde nevertheless soldiered on alone, giving us a unique acapella performance, which included the TVOTR classic 'Young Liars' (first clip) and finished with a new, to me at least, song called 'Amethd' (2nd clip). http://punkcast.com/1150/ Sat, 26 May 2007 21:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1150 Shooting Shapes And Sizes was serendipitous, as I was able to catch them while on a pop-in to the Cake Shop between two other shows. I was unfamiliar with the band but found them a very pleasant experience. Hailing originally from Victoria on the Canadian left coast, they are now resident in Montreal. One imagines they are very at home there because, like many other of the local bands, they are peculiarly idiosyncratic. Their music, sparse and played with joyful precision, does not progress in straight lines, but rather zigzags haphazardly. Vocals are shared, with unpredictable harmonies. Lyrics are intricate, a little absurd. Melodies are almost Satie-esque at times. In my experience, one wants to hear it again and again while the brain figures it out, and it then sounds as natural as anything. I've put two songs here, with contrasting vocalists - the first is 'Head Movin'' - the second 'Highlife'. Both songs are from their brand new album on Asthmatic Kitty Records. http://punkcast.com/1148/ Sat, 26 May 2007 16:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1148 There's something oddly compelling about the singing of Dan Penta, who heads up Whisper Doll. It's a kind of gravelly mope with gregorian undertones. Arriving in NYC some years ago, performing under the name 'Cockroach Bernstein', he was adopted by the burgeoning anti-folk community, and supported the Moldy Peaches on their first US tour. From this there came an electric band Larval Organs that took his sound to new heights of grunge. After a hiatus he returned a couple of years ago and formed a new outfit which became a virtual supergroup of the current anti-folk scene, including as it did both of the Babyskins, and Amy Hills. At first it was called 'Cockroach' but, reflecting the warmth of the sound one imagines, which involved much harmony, the name was eventually changed to 'Hearth'. While that band is by no means, as far as one can tell, defunct, in 2007 we see yet another manifestation, and possibly the most effective yet - the stripped down hard rock trio that is Whisper Doll. Word got around fast after they did a heavy version of Diane Cluck's 'I'm your here I am' - a song punkcast viewers will be familiar with from #212 - at a couple of shows. I finally caught up with the band playing at the Cake Shop one Tuesday night. They didn't play that one, but plenty of other good stuff. The two songs here are 'Bundle Of Nerves' and the reggaeish 'Old Girlfriend' - a song that Hearth have recorded. http://punkcast.com/1149/ Fri, 25 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1149 A lot has been written recently about the power of myspace. Here is a good example. Quitzow asked to be my friend and, idly checking them out, I liked their style, and offered to shoot them for punkcast. I put them in touch with Jasper Coolidge, who books Pianos, and a show was duly booked. However after that things didn't quite go according to plan. On the appointed day the camera I took to the show decided to blow a fuse. This was a definite shame as they were opening for someone good, there was a great crowd, and they played a blinder. Jasper was suitably impressed, and gave them a return slot a week later so I could take another shot. At that show my camera worked fine but the band, facing a much less sympathetic audience, faltered a little. I sent them a copy, but we both knew they could do better, so nothing got posted. At last, months later, Jasper found space to give them a prime Friday night residency and I showed up for the first night. This time there was little or no crowd, except for the band's friends, and they put on a much more relaxed show, from which I've pulled the two clips here. Quitzow are named after the main figure Erica Quitzow, who composes, sings, and plays guitar and keyboards. She's accompanied by a drummer who runs backing tracks on an iPod and sings back-up. Apparently there was a cello player at one point. The songs are personal, quirky, with a definite 80's flavor. The two I've picked are of the less orchestrated variety. The first - 'Fish Hook' absolutely addresses the relationship of performer to audience, delicate as we've seen. The other 'Crying' is just a perfectly crafted tune. http://punkcast.com/1133/ Tue, 22 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1133 The pinstand goes way back with Luscious Jackson. Guitarist Gabby Glaser actually came to the UK and toiled at Better Badges. (In 1981 or 1982, I can't quite remember.) As the pinstand went online in 1995 LJ were one of the first bands, through their connection with the Baesties' Grand Royal label, to have an online presence. Their performance at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in 1998 was an early webcast we watched keenly at punkcast HQ. We were sorry to see them call it a day in 2000, Grand Royal itself following in 2001. Now, six years later, we are seeing a flurry of activity. Not only has a "Greatest Hits' album been released, it was announced that the band are working on a new kids album, Gabby has a new band and an album recorded, and singer Jill Cunniff has put out a well received solo abum 'City Beach'. Jill has also been out playing shows and I finally managed to catch up with one at Southpaw in Brooklyn's Park Slope, apparently now her home neighborhood. Jill played early on the bill, and was accompanied by Singh Birdsong - just the two of them on acoustic guitars and vocals. Singh is himself an LJ veteran, having played keyboards in the last year or so of their existence. The early hour allowed fans as young as 10 years old or less to catch the show, and they eagerly lined the front of the stage and listened with rapt attention, especially as the late night crowd drinking and talking at the bar didn't make things too easy to hear. Jill started and finished with songs from the new album - I've selected the airy 'Warm Sound' as the first clip here, and went on an excursion through some LJ favorites in the middle of her set - you get the wonderful rap-alicious 'Naked Eye' as the second clip. http://punkcast.com/1147/ Tue, 15 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1147 Despite being the nexus of the Brooklyn scene that has transformed the culture of NYC, and elsewhere, over the last few years, and home to countless rock and art shows, Williamsburg had never had it's own official fashion show. Artur Arbit and Secret Project Robot decided to remedy the situation and inaugurated 'The Williamsburg Fashion Weekend' to take place on the first weekend of May 2007. Due to other commitments I missed the first night, on which local boutiques Treehouse and Sodafine joined forces to present multiple designer's work in the form of something called "Cherry Blossom Circus", after which Trisha Mcbride presented her designs by means of a psychedelically lit belly dancing performance. Arriving fashionably late on Saturday I was mortified to find I'd also missed the presentation of Artur Arbit's 'King Gurvy' line, which involved two bands - one of boys - one of girls - performing alternately while clad in his somewhat bizarre designs, playing psyche classics by such as Hawkwind and Amon Duul. As I got over my disappointment by swallowing some of the Sangria thoughtfully provided by Daddy's bar, the entire crowd emigrated into the Live With Animals gallery next door where some designers had created an elaborate set for a performance called 'Maypole'. Dressed in costumes reminiscent of Alice In Wonderland they recreated the traditional May dances from "a time with less complicated dating practices, where girls and boys would dance around the celebrated maypole to see who loved who." By the time this was done I was ready to shoot, and got the camera out for the final show, which paired the designs of Mandate of Heaven, whose clothes are almost exclusively composed from recycled vintage fabrics, with the very fresh sounds of Paige Wood and her group. This was probably the most straightforward of all the presentations, but was still highly informal. Eschewing a catwalk, Secret Project Robot had erected a couple of platforms at the side of the performance space out of flight cases. A series of devastatingly pretty girls clambered up and pirhouetted on one, and then the other, as the crowd applauded wildly. At the conclusion all of the models started dancing and the crowd joined in. The video here is that entire presentation. http://punkcast.com/1136/ Tue, 15 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1136 It's hard to believe that, since we first saw her in PUNKCAST#529, Julia Haltigan has yet to put out a record. But she has 1) had a very popular version of 'Boots Of Spanish Leather' included on Drive-Thru's 2005 'Listen To Bob Dylan' comp, and 2) acquired a hot band - The Hallelujah Peddlars. She's also developed a bluesy lilting almost Kurt Weill-ian style that is remarkably adult, even when she sings, as on the quaintly titled 'Blowin' Up My Baby With Dinah Off The Roof With Her Helmet Gone' about her childhood (first clip). The elegant 'All I Can Think Of Is You' (2nd clip) is simply charming. Hopefully an album is not far off. http://punkcast.com/1135/ Tue, 15 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1135 The last Thursday ever at Tonic, and, at last, it's the release party for Other Passengers long awaited album 'We Are All Other Passengers', a good two years in the making. Tonic had it's official last night, with the much more formal John Zorn, the next day, so for the rock crew this was basically the last hurrah, and OP saw us out in style. Rejoined for the first time in well over a year, since PUNKCAST#863 in fact, by guitarist Travis Davey, and lit wonderfully as always by Berkoy, they finished off their set with a brand new epic 'Had Um Down' which is the clip here. http://punkcast.com/1130/ Tue, 15 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1130 In it's auspicious history the NYC experimental music mainstay Tonic has seen the debuts of many groups that have gone on to world fame. This night, two weeks before the suddenly announced closing of the venue, was probably the last such occasion. Making it's first appearance anywhere was School of Seven Bells, a new band formed by Benjamin Curtis of Secret Machines, from whom he'd announced his departure earlier in the month, much to the surprise of many. While a major feature of the new outfit are the twin vocals of Alejandra and Claudia Deheza of On! Air! Library! - live it turned out bass/electronics wizz James Elliott and drummer Joe Stickney were just as impressive. Benjamin is known for his wide echoey guitar sound which was much in evidence. It's hard to describe the overall sound, it's a kind of monster hypnotic rush, while the vocal harmonies have a distinctly medieval tint. I remember thinking, as the sound woofed up through Tonic's famously leaky roof to the newly built garish condo building next door, that it sounded like the soundtrack to some kind of intense wiccan ritual, ominous yet celebratory. Here are the final two songs of the set: 'My Cabal' - now newly released as a single in the UK - and the lengthy 'Sempiternal'. http://punkcast.com/1140/ Tue, 8 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1140 The vanishing voice in this case is James Jackson Toth aka Wooden Wand. While newly releasing an album 'James and The Quiet' on Ecstatic Peace! he has ceased fronting Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice, who will apparently henceforth be only known by the acronym WWVV. He does continue, however, as a sideman in the band. Vocal duties are thus left to the girls, mainly Jessica Toth but also Heidi Diehl, and the odd interjection from G. Lucas Crane, who punkcast viewers might be familiar with as the science officer on spaceship Dufus. He's still in there with his crazy tape twiddling and, on the band's epic finale 'Star Bellied Boy' (4th clip), you will also hear him blow some mean trumpet before a lengthy WW guitar riff takes the thing into the next dimension. Prior to that, the mantric 'I Am The One I Am' (3rd clip) is more down-to-earth with a distinct native american flavor. Rounding out the band are Steve Jarvis and Pete Nolan. The latter also appears in GHQ, their tourmates, who opened. GHQ have been described as appalachian ragas for the drone set. The band includes Pete's fellow Magic Marker Steve Gunn, plus Marcia Bissett of Double Leopard. Marcia's odd metallic tonalities lend a definite otherworldly air to the music. They opened with the bluesy 'Seven Sisters' (1st clip) before moving onto the more trancelike material, such as 'Desert Panther' (2nd clip). http://punkcast.com/1141/ Fri, 4 May 2007 20:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1141 As one of the leading lights on NYC's thriving indie-pop scene The Besties have long been on my list of bands to shoot. However one way or another I've missed them over the years, partly because they have a tendency to play obscure parties in Brooklyn lofts. Finally a rare visit by Michigan's Icicles brought them out of the woodwork after a 5 month hiatus, bearing a brand new 7 inch no less. The Icicles also have a new CD out, which is no doubt what led to their current trek. Onstage they have the collective mien of a bunch of kindergarten teachers. The songs are mostly love ditties. A solid rhythm section sandwiches a layers jangly rhythm guitar and 60s style stringy organ. The icing is three part harmony vocals. The cherry on the top is the sparse picking lead of recent addition Rebecca Rodriguez, who is also an absolute pleasure to watch as she interrupts her slinky move with self-conscious smiles directed at the band. I've picked their hit from last year 'Sugar Sweet' (first clip) which they dedicated to the Cake Shop itself, a venue they reminded us NYCers we are lucky to have. The Besties are a deal less twee, more down to earth. they are noted for their well crafted songs. Their sound, with a recently added drummer, is piano vs organ, with sweetly distorted guitar lines. The two girls in the band trade vocal duties, with a distinct early 60's tint. 'Zombie Song' (2nd clip) is a crowd favorite, given an updated treatment, while 'Man Vs Wild' (3rd clip) is brand new - a girl vacillates on her newly single status. http://punkcast.com/1129/ Thu, 3 May 2007 04:30:00 EST PUNKCAST#1129 Until buying his book 'White Bicycles' last year I only knew of Joe Boyd as one of the proprietors of UFO - the London venue that, back in the 60s, spawned the UK psychedelic underground - and also for his tremendous early 70s Hendrix documentary. Reading the book I discovered that he, a Jersey boy, has had a remarkable career. Particularly in the 60s he was constantly in the front line of the musical developments that radicalized my generation: tour managing Muddy Waters' european visits; running the stage upon which Dylan went Electric; producing the Pink Floyd's first record; forming Cream; running the aforementioned UFO club; establishing the entire UK folk rock genre - these are a few of his achievements. The book itself is pretty self-effacing. Joe implies that, blessed with a good set of ears, he just went along with the flow. A little more levelheaded than the talents of the day, he naturally fell to administration. Much success followed. In many cases only for the fruits to be co-opted by sharper businessmen, often inadvertently aided by Joe himself. The premise of the book, which we here see Joe reading from at the Soho McNally Robinson bookstore in NYC, is that the 60's started in 1956, when the arrival of Dick Clark's sanitized version of rock'n'roll created an underground consciousness which clung to its gritty roots of blues and folk for sustenance; peaked on July 1 1967, with a cathartic performance by the group Tomorrow at UFO; and petered out in 1973, as oil embargoes, inflation, etc starved out the last of it's hedonistic anarchistic lifeblood. The first clip below is the entire reading, in which he revisits those early days of the 50's, reminisces about the Pink Floyd, describes the peaking, and then tells the tale of that famous Newport Folk Festival when Dylan broke all the rules. It's a sizable download but well worth it. I've added a couple of shorter clips for tasters: 'Interstellar inspiration' is a typical anecdote, not included in the book, about how Joe inadvertently supplied the spark for a psychedelic masterpiece. 'Revolution' tells the tale of that 'Tomorrow' show that was, in his opinion, the apex of the period, and how it gave him the book's title. http://punkcast.com/1121/ Fri, 27 Apr 2007 21:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1121 There was much disappointment when Brooklyn was deprived of seeing hometown heroes Radio 4 play the Jan 31 final show at North Six when Con Ed cut the power a day early. When they were eventually rescheduled to play Studio B, and Swedens hot outfit Teddybears added to the bill we were mollified, and the show was an absolute cracker. There are similarities between the two bands, in that both haave come from hard roots - Radio 4 from punk, and Teddybears from metal - to become dancefloor heroes. The Teddybears even crossing over with the recent blockbusting 'Punkrocker' with Iggy Pop. R4 played first. They have molded their set into the equivalent of a beat-matched dj mix, that flows without a break. I've picked a song from the middle 'Shake The Foundation' - political, as ever, from their recent album 'Stealing Of A Nation' (first clip). The Teddybears are basically a trio, two guitars and dj/electronics. They come out dressed in suits and massive teddybear heads, an impressive sight. They are augmented by two drummers, video projectrions, an MC, and a pair of singers, one male who handles the reggae oriented material like 'Cobrastyle', the other a female who covers for their recording collaborators Neneh Cherry and Iggy Pop on songs like 'Yours To Keep' and 'Punkrocker'. The latter, the climactic closer of their set, is my second clip. http://punkcast.com/1132/ Tue, 24 Apr 2007 21:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1132 K8 Hardy: Susanne wanted to come over to New York and play and I wanted to make that happen. I thought it would be amazing to pair her with the Lesbians on Ecstasy from Montreal. Then I wanted to raise the bar because women and queers always play in venues with shit sound and shit resources and settle for less than what should be expected. Todd P helped me out by getting us in the door at Studio B. It all fell in place and I felt that musically Telepathe really broadened the spectrum. Everyone who played has an experimental and promiscous edge with strong sexual politics. Getting JD from Le Tigre to dj basically made the night kick ass. It was a feminist frenzy and that's hard to find in this uber-capitalist city. It's also hard to maintain. http://punkcast.com/1062/ Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1062 When it comes to shows there are few more more flexible in approach than Ari-Up of The Slits - famous for her impromptu presentation which often involves recruiting vocalists and musicians straight out of the crowd, or Brooklyn promoter Todd P, who creates great events in the most off-kilter surroundings seemingly out of thin air. So, when the two of them got on the same page for the Panache Non-CMJ showcase in 2006, it was bound to be an adventure. True to form, although the date appeared in the Slits' intinerary and Todd's listings the venue wasn't announced til a dozen days before the event. Having played a handful of shows in Europe the Slits were on their first US Tour in 25 years. Original members Ari-Up and bassie Tessa Pollitt were augmented by two guitarists - the exhibitionist No and the enigmatic Adele, backup singer Holly (daughter of Paul) Cook, and excellent german drummer Anna. They'd launched CMJ earlier in the week with a sold-out show at the Knitting Factory. The Panache showcase was to be a Todd P extravaganza with 10 bands, from Shellshag to Erase Errata, alternating on two stages at a warehouse on Scholes St in Brooklyn. At 6pm on the day word went out that the venue had to be changed, it would now happen at Starr Street - a nearby community arts center. By the time I got there, fashionably late, the cops had already arrived and shut the place down. Typically unfazed, Todd had got on his cell and arranged to bunk in with the HOSS Records showcase happening five blocks away at the popular and sizable Syrup Room. The entire assembly, bands and crowd - a few stragglers did get lost - made their way by vehicle and foot and then squeezed into an already packed show just in time to be dazed by the headliners, Baltimore experimental music wizzes WZT Hearts (First clip). The WZT's were prevailed upon to leave their gear onstage and, without much further ado The Slits hit. Ironically, Ari, who had complained bitterly about the sound at the Knit, had little problems here, although the soundman had never heard of the band! The crowd was also much younger and going wild. In 'World Of Grown-Ups', a song off Ari's solo album 'Dread More Than Dead', the band alternated between punk and reggae to rev things up (Second clip). Later, to calm things down they played 'Animal Space' - an existential number off the rare 'Return Of The Giant Slits' LP - that showcased Holly's vocal talents (Third clip). Dennis Brown's classic 'Revolution' gave Ari the excuse, to cheers from many of the students present, to call NYU 'Punk Professor' Vivien Goldman up onto the stage where, after a little adjustment they together let rip on an extended part 2 version (4th clip).. The band's finale was a raucous rave-up of the old Peel Session song 'Vindictive'. Ari wouldn't leave the stage easily, however, repeatedly declaring her adoration for the borough of Brooklyn, her second home.. The crowd recouped while a bunch of rappers 'Living With Animals' took the stage, and then, despite the late hour, it was back into it for Erase Errata. It has to be said that EE were well sleepless. They had flown in from London on the red-eye earlier in the day, dragged themselves through two venues, drunk numerous beers, etc, and were struggling with unfamilar gear. Nevertheless they absolutely shredded, evidence of which can be seen on the song 'Hotel Suicide' (clip 5). No doubt they wished they actually had a hotel to suicide in... Altogether tho, this was one of those great shows that anyone who attended will remember fondly the rest of their life. http://punkcast.com/1134/ Thu, 12 Apr 2007 21:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1134 Brooklyn female musical collective Effi Briest are named after a 19th century German fictional anti-heroine, a victim of circumstance whose spirit nevertheless survives intact. As one might expect, though joyfully played, there is an undercurrent of melancholy in their music. There have been comparisons to early Siousxie, but it's primitive animism is as evocative of late period Slits. Still a comparatively young band they are definitely evolving their own identity. Playing at the opening of 'in the end, the endless line' - a group art show at Secret Project Robot - the buzz was evident and they pulled a big crowd. The original Effi's misfortune was to be forced into an unsuitable marriage, and then adultery. Appropiately, Newly-Weds Song - the band's opening number, a cover of the late native-american jazzer Jim Pepper and written by his dad - is a declaration of desire directed at just such a person in just such a situation (first clip). Despite the occasional howl of feedback from the PA, the last song of the set 'Mirror Rim' (second clip) with it's dubby drum and bass, skinny reggae guitar, backwards acoustic guitar, accordion, syncopating percussion, chanting vocals, seems a fair indication of where the band is headed. http://punkcast.com/1131/ Thu, 12 Apr 2007 19:00:00 EST PUNKCAST#1131 Years ago now, the old Mighty Robot was the heart o