Boston Retards

So it's Blood Brothers tomorrow. Good times.

Gotta go support my old home town.

Hopefully it will not be as bloody as Jay (pictured above)

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Next week we have some punk rockers coming to Last Train here in Oslo.

Jay Reatard and Boston Chinks; both pretty cool garage punk bands.

Jay Reatard has been doing his thing for a long time in the band The Reatards, while The Boston Chinks are not from Boston, but Memphis: home of a ton of terrible country music, and some good.

There will be no country music at this show; instead there will be catchy short punk rock songs. Bring your earplugs.

Check it out yourself:

Jay Reatard - Oh It's Such A Shame

Jay Reatard - Blood Visions

Boston Chinks - Coltrane

Info:

www.myspace.com/jayreatard
www.myspace.com/bostonchinks

You can buy it at the label websites...

Jay is on In The Red Records so you know its ace.

Boston Chinks are on Goner which is also pretty cool.

A-Frames

OK, back to the music. Been a tiring few days. Next Life were great on friday. I even say Ozzy play yesterday (got a free ticket to the debacle). He looked like he was having fun. The backing band blew. (Who needs triple peddle bass drums on war pigs?) Aaaanyway...

A-Frames are Seattle's premier art rock band. Or should I call it garage rock...I don't know...It's raw, simple and good. They have been in many forms and have had a few other names. (Lars in The Intelligence used to drum for them so you know they are good - see earlier post.)

The reason I'm posting about them today, is that I just read record number 4, which is shockingly entitled "4" is almost finished. This will also come out on Sub Pop as did their last great effort "Black Forest" (or "3" to me and you.)

Nothing new to post, but I felt like throwing out some old gems.....enjoy:

From Black Forest: Experiment

Demo: A.O.D

Neutron Bomb 7'': Neutron Bomb

Another great Monty Buckles video:
A-Frames "Black Forest"

Special super duper extra snack:

A-Frames live in Strasbourg (the entire show in quicktime video!)

For info on the band go to http://www.dragnetrecords.com/

BUY: http://www.subpop.com/

Next Life

Do you like old video game fighting music? do you like metal?
Then this band is for you, you nerd.
Just kidding, this band rocks. I like few Norwegian bands, but this is one of them.
Next life is a 2 (sometimes 3?) pieces out of Oslo.
The music has been called Nintendo punk, Atari hardcore etc etc.
Judge for yourself:
Red Stone
The Mirror
Lots more can be found here: http://www.electricdungeon.org/
Next Life are playing at Blitz as part of the BarrikadeRock Festival this weekend. Go and party with the kids. I will, so I might feel alittle younger for a few hours.
If you are out of town that day, and in oh I don't know... Zimbabwe, the show might look something like this:



Next Life is on the great label Cock Rock Disco.
Go here to spenf your hard earned money.

30...

I'm turning 30 June 5th. The only thing positive about it is the new Shellac record comes out. It's called Excellent Italian Greyhound. I don't' feel like stealing an mp3 from it (you know where to find it anyhow). I will however post one from the previous record 1000 Hurts: "Watch Song". Hint: buy that one and the new record on vinyl; and you will get a free copy of the cd in the box. They did it for 1000 Hurts....maybe in the new one too, but don't take my word for it.
Here is some new video posted from the Touch and Go 25th Anniversary party: The Steve and David Show (keep an eye out for David Yow)

Speaking of David Yow, and other things that are coming out June 5th. There is a great dvd of The Jesus Lizard live performances. This band was insane live. Possibly because David Yow was wasted and generally out of his mind when onstage:




Not posting this as a joke. If this is you, get help.

Get the dvd ">here.

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Stay tuned for more fun if I make it through tomorrow.

PS. send me money or whatever I've been begging for in previous posts.

Just a quickie....

for the weekend. Disco!

oxes - Half Half & Half

from oxxxes on monitorrecords.com

The Blood Brothers

So Seattle's own Blood Brothers are coming back to town. Yey!
I saw these guys when they were young kids playing at the old Paradox theatre that used to be in the U-District. The crowds were nuts, and they always put on a good show. They still do.
They were here a few months ago, but then without keyboards which broke a few days earlier.
I hope all the equipment is in order this time. They play June 15th at John Dee.
Here is some old and a new sample:

The Blood Brothers - Red Blooded American Girls

The Blood Brothers - Cecilia and the Silhouette Saloon

The Blood Brothers - Peacock Skeleton with Crooked Feathers

The Blood Brothers - Laser Life

Special bonus:
Ambulance Vs. Ambulance video

"Young Machetes" has been out for a while...and on a (gasp!) major label...well V2.

They will be all over Europe in June.

band info: www.myspace.com/thebloodbrothersband

http://www.thebloodbrothers.com/

Shining live at Blå 25.05.07

OK, I'm bringing the rock hot of the presses. From tonights Shining show:

Some pix and vids:

King Crimson cover...











Really fun show. They play at the Øya Festival in August.

The Shinning

I've been working too much; not alot of time for a nerd music blog.
Thank you for all the hatemail, complaints and shouts of "bring the rock!" (ok I made that all up..no one reads this) So this is just a short post.

Another concert tonight. This time it's Shining. No not the movie, no not the rap group...but the Norwegian prog/rock/jazz band. "Prog rock jazz" might not sound that cool, but you can stream the latest record "Grindstone" here and tell me if you think it sucks or not: www.shining.no/v1/flash/mp3player/mp3player.html

Band info: www.shining.no

www.myspace.com/gninihs

cheap shot

The Locust – We Have Reached an Official Verdict: Nobody Gives a Shit

Serge Gainsbourg

So it's Serge Gainsbourg day here on CMA. I ordered the D'autres nouvelles des étoiles DVD 5 weeks ago and finally got it. I was blown away by a ton of great music videos...or the precursors to the music video...this ain't no MTV people. I don't speak a lick of french, but you just know Serge is singing about something cool. He has been linked to some of the worlds most beautiful women. Some people might just think of Serge Gainsourg as a sleazy lounge singer, but he is so much more than that. Jazz, rock, funk, reggae, soul, he's done it all...intelligent "tongue in cheek" songs of great quality. Here are a few youtube selections I found of some of his finest work:


"Mr William" Tractors, dancing women....yes!



"Bonnie and Clyde" (subtitled!)


"Comic Strip"



The infamous Whitney Houston clip (not on the dvd...hmm wonder why)



from "Historie de Melody Nelson" 1971





"Requiem pour un con"





From 1964.

OK, is that enough? I think you get the picture.
The dvd isn't easy to get ahold of it seems, but worth the money.
Go, no run to your local record store and pick it up.

15-17 may

Photo: Hand out

Had a great couple of nights. Bill Childish rocked the house.

Night number one was a Q and A session about art, Knut Hamsun and Dostoevsky among other things. Then he read selected poetry from "The man witht he gallows eyes"

Then Billy Childish & The Chatham Singers took the stage and played a bunch of blues and spirituals to a midsized but appreciative crowd. Night two Billy Childish & The Musicians of the British Empire rock a packed and wild crowd at Mono. (Same lineup as day one....and some of the same songs - played much louder) Two fantastic nights. Today he displayed his art at gallery Barabara Hansen. About 15 pictures, mostly large and on wood. Nice paintings, but too much for my wallet though.

I quite like this one. 2000 pounds, available on the website listed below.
Today is Norways constitution day celebration...I missed most of it. Too tired/hung over from the last two nights of fun. I'm gonna go to bed.

Billy Childish (X3!)

Wild Billy Childish is coming to town. I'm exited.
Two concerts and one gallery show.
Billy Childish & The Chatham Singers play at Mono on the 15th
He also plays with his other band The Musicians of the British Empire on the 16th, also at Mono.
He will be displaying his art at gallery Barbara Hansen (Schweigaardsgt. 33) in Oslo on the 17th.
His music has been described as “Like someone is torturing The Kinks in some dark basement”.
I like the Kinks, and I like dark basements, what's not to love?

He's been doing his thing for 30+ years and put out hundreds of records.
I've been a fan for years but I can't ever remember him coming to Seattle, or Oslo (while I've been here). So put on your dancing shoes, it's time to dance like your mommy and daddy used to....that's if your parents where garage punks in the 70s...mine weren't.

Not alot of legal mp3's out there. All I could find was a low bitrate version (sorry) of an old Thee Headcoats song: Alone

Go see em play instead, or buy a record.

Info: www.damagedgoods.co.uk/billychildish/

ART: http://www.theaquariumonline.co.uk/Shop/Items.aspx?a=5

www.billychildish.com/

BTS A'OK

Built To Spill played to an overcrowded Rockefeller in Oslo last night. Lots of old hits and a few new ones. BTS have never been the most exciting live band, but they always deliver the goods. This show reminded me of the old days...
I remember seeing them for the first time in the summer of 1995... The dateless wonder that I was, I decided to go see them with a friend at the Sailors Union of the Pacific, a shitty short lived "club" in Seattle instead of going to prom. My friends who did go to prom, had a hotel room right down the street so we got loaded and headed to the show, almost not getting in because we were underage and intoxicated. Opening the show was this band I'd never heard of with a lead singer who I remember seemed kinda shy and looked a little strange. The band was called Heatmiser, the man was Elliott Smith. I bought a Heatmiser tape (anyone remember cassette tapes?) and "There is nothing wrong with love" cd. That cd is still one of my favorites, and probably my favorite Built To Spill record. I remember annoying my friends with playing "car" over and over again in the hotel room afterwards. The new Built To Spill record hasn't gotten all that great reviews, but I like what I've heard. Dough can still write some catchy tunes.

You can sample a new track (while you play hoops against Dough Martsch) here: http://www.builttospill.com/jams/

From "There is nothing wrong with love": Cleo

Black Pix

So the Black Lips show was fun. I felt a couple of songs were missing from the set (ie. Fad) and there was no encore, but all in all a good night. No nudity or silliness (I don't think they were drunk enough) There were a lot more people there this time...(I wonder where they all were last time...?)
Some pix/video:

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Built To Spill play tonight. Happy weekend people!

Cheveu

From France we have Cheveu. Elektro art punk stuff. Brilliant.

Don't know much about them, but they are from Paris.

On the FAQ page it reads:

"Why such a stupid name?
It's a porno anagramm.

We have heard about a guy called "cheveu" at the university.

The guitarist is bold."

I think they mean "bald"....or maybe not.

Here are a few tracks from their website:

(right click save)

El Tortuga

Carrey

Superhero

Jacob's Fight

Band webpages: http://cheveunet.free.fr

www.myspace.com/cheveu

BUY! www.s-srecords.com/

Black Lips

Black Lips are coming back to Oslo. Last time they threw glass and pissed on stage. (what else is new). Anyway, they are playing at a different club this time (shocker!).
Needless to say, but I'm saying it anyway, they are a blast. I've seen alot of drunken bands, but Black Lips are #1. They can still play after several bottles of whiskey, alot of beer and god knows what else. Check out this video for the song "Fad". This may be my favorite video ever. Hot chicks dancing, blood, cactus mikestand.....whats not to love?


You can download a good quality version of the video here: www.bomp.com/blacklips.html
They are touring to support their new Live in Tijuana record out on Vice Records.
A sample here: Not A problem

Black Lips play the 10th of May at Blå.

The Rain It Raineth

"the rain it raineth on the just,
and also on the unjust fella.
but more upon the just because
the unjust steals the just's umbrella.

the justly man is thus condemned,
attrition and a life of constant rain.
the unjust man is not disturbed
for one man's loss another's natural gain.

Oh woe, oh woe is he,
Oh woe, oh woe is he, oh woe

the justly man will thus erode
and unjust men the world will overrun
there'll be no more of charity
and rainclouds shall pile up across the sun

Oh woe, oh woe is he,
Oh woe, oh woe is he, oh woe."

Dog Faced Hermans - The Rain It Raineth mp3: http://snipurl.com/1jfxs

The Chinese Stars

The Chinese Stars are a band from Rhode Island formed from the ashes of Arab on Radar and Six Finger Satellite. I blame Six Finger Satellite for destroying part of my hearing at the Sub Pop Lame Fest in Seattle over a decade ago (Thanks!). I never got to see Arab on Radar, but caught The Chinese Stars at the Summerslam festival in Germany a few years back. (More on that festival another day)
They just put out a new record. This track is called "cold cold cold". From the record Listen To Your Left Brain, released on 31G Records/Skingraft.

Mp3s: www.skingraftrecords.com/mp3/LP_MP3/TCS_ColdColdCold.mp3

As a bonus (because I love you so much) here is "sick machine" from Turbo Mattress which was just reissued on Skingraft. (not as a throwing star shaped cd this time, but worth picking up) www.skingraftrecords.com/mp3/LP_MP3/chinesestars_sick.MP3

Here they are in all their glory at The Summerslam Festival in 2004:




band info:

www.myspace.com/chinesestars
www.chinesestars.com

!!!pix!!!

So I think I promised some pictures from the Chk Chk Chk show...they looked better when we were drunk. Anyway, it was in a big gymnasium....strange place for a show. Studio from Sweden played some 90's style British techno and Matt & Kim played annoying pop music.

OK, so we were a little too far away..... No encore. I understand they don't do encores? I think it left most people wanting more. Lots more shows coming up including a legendary English wild man. Stay tuned! (or not)

show

So I was wrong. The wannabe frenchies are great. Malajube rocked the house. !!! photos on Monday.

Saw a documentary on TV today.....corporations are patenting the human Genome. Thats fucked up. Maybe someday we will all look like this:

Here is a Dipers track about Voltron: I'm So Spun