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The Seattle CD Release was amazing! Thank you toe everyone who attended. Now on to Portland!
I've been wanting to write a blog about all the great music I've been finding lately. Between booking road shows, playing out and attending friends shows I've found all kinds of great music that I don't hear much about in the mainstream media or even in music blogs. SO, here's what I've found. Some of it you may already know some of it you probably wont but either way it's good shit that you should give a listen...what's that? Don't talk back. It's for your own good...because I said so.
THE Strange BOYS– A band after my own heart, I picked up their 7” today at Sonic Boom on Capitol Hill and the B’side is a John Lee Hooker cover of “Baby Please Don’t Go”.These young lads from Austin shouldn’t be in obscurity too much longer. Handsomely crafted vintage sixties R&B riffs with a weirdo lead singer that is just lovely to listen to. His high, winy voice is just exactly what I could listen to for hours and still go and see them live that night with no hesitation. I haven’t seen them live but plan to either when I’m in Austin or when they’re here next. Apparently they a great live band and I can believe because with all that R&B groove there’s plenty there already that would get me feet movin’! I should add that I tried to get their vinyl online but they’re sold out so you’ll have to see if their on itunes, in a record store near you or patiently wait for a show.
Go check ‘em out: www.myspace.com/thestrangeboys
Recommended track: Woe is you and me
Black Diamond Heavies– Holy Shit I love this band! 2-piece, Organ and drums. I’m not usually into scraggly, throaty white guy blues but this guys voice is something else, it’s soulful. The power this band has is unbelievable. I would ask these guys to record an album with me today! No parts are obscure or weak in any way and the b-e-a-utiful blues/soul tunes that come out of these guys could tickle the youngest scenester bitch and the 65 year old black guy living next door.
Do it: www.myspace.com/blackdiamondheavies
Recommended track: Everythang is Everythang
Holy Children –Front man Kyle Morris is uh, my bro and the damn finest sob song writer in the land. A proven Slide Guitar virtuoso with his former band War Wagon, Kyle brings it down to a slower roar with his new bands tracks (up on MySpace now)with more Psychedelic guitar riffs that are more vibrato and stringy riff oriented than his previous slide lead music. There is so much rhythm in
Holy Children and the voice of a man born to bleed his confessions in melody, you’ll be instantly pulled in and involved after one song.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you: www.myspace.com/theholychildren
Recommended track: Lost Heart Blues
SPIRIT VINE –This LA band has a lot of most Psych bands are missing right now. Sultry harmonies and that kind of tripped out sexy slow beat guided by perfectly fuzzed out guitar give me the warm fuzzies.
Nothin’ wrong with these guys: www.myspace.com/spiritvine
Recommended track: Blackhoof
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The Ferocious Few– I can define this SF duo. I have no real category or genre to put them in.One of the first groups in a while where I heard the beginning of one song on their MySpace page and thought “Oh, I’m really into this”. With a plentiful amount of soul and a damn fine drive, they do up tempo (sometimes acoustic),and then drop into a sad blues ballad on a level that makes you just wonder how the hell they’re pullin’ at your chest that way.
Check it: www.myspace.com/ferociousfew
Recommended track: Lord Save My Soul
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Gangi – This has all the mystery you need. I don’t know what it is that draws me into Gangi’s weird vocals, but I soon as you hear it with it’s unique phrasing and melody you’ll know where you stand on their sound. Guttural, riffs that pull you in with their innate catchiness and soothing flow, Gangi is a great reminder of what great things loom outside of the top 40.
Get it: www.myspace.com/gangimusic
Recommended track: Waiting on the line....
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Nudity – Olympia thank you! My favorite Psych Jam band ever (so far)! Nudity owns your senses in a live show with less vocals and more heavy riffs than you can keep track of. Let’s put it this way it’s kinda hard to tell them what was your favorite tune by the end, because it doesn’t really roll out for you that way. You get lost in their bass driven grooves and wasted in the guitar-hero-psych-haze! Incredibly strong drums that fill in every last bit of open air and hammer at your gut.Nudity over all is just incredibly catchy!
You know you want to: www.myspace.com/nuditytheband
Recommended track: Elivate in Rotation....
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Charles Leo Gebhardt IV – Quirky, not the right word. Odd and awesome, not that’s not right either. You see I’m not smart enough to tell you about Leo’s (what friends call him) music. The vastness in his sound is amazing and the way he can bend harmonies like his guitar strings is astounding to me. This music takes listening, you have almost to sit and listen on that dark afternoon when one needs a companion not so much in the physical form but in one’s own mind.There’s a great deal to like about Leo’s music and I am very glad he writes it but it seems almost profane to try and explain what is that makes it work for me.Tune in and you’ll know.
On your way: www.myspace.com/charlesleogebhardt
Recommended track: BeginAgain
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The Naked Heroes – BAM!Take that shit! Full on, tube driven blues riffs that make me go nuts. You can’t just walk away from this sound without gettin’ dirty. Enveloped in all the classic appeal of true Rock n’ Roll, this Brooklyn based two-piece (drums and guitarman) are as full of sexy blues soul as they are of fat guy bear spillin’ head bangin’ guitar god licks. I love it, I’m not ashamed of it and you shouldn’t be either!
Take it: www.myspace.com/thenakedheroes
Recommended track: Under the Hood
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Loving Thunder –Bass galore mama and then some more. Child hold this power carefully! I saw this local Seattle bass and drum super group at the Comet expecting nothing and had all kinds of opinions about what bassist and drummers are capable of doing together smashed hard. There a lot of effects to make what the lead singer and bassist plays as full and sometimes, dare I say guitar like possible but it’s amazing. I only get into music is really strong on the universal appeal factor and it is unbelievable that these guys pull that off with what they have but they do. I felt like I was at a Motorhead show but better! YEAH, better!
Cautiously approach: www.myspace.com/lovingthunder
Recommended track: Liferider
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Golden Animals –Listening to GA for the first time for me was like being 5, finding a Gold wrapped Chocolate bunny, salivating at the delicious chocolate in front of me and then biting in, only to find that it is filled with smooth delicious caramel. The Psychedelic presence is strong yes, and there is a direction with this band toward a vintage revival but that aside you have a very strong deep voiced, obviously meticulous song craftsman sewing melody and cutting guitar technique with lovely female accompanying vocals and limited perfectly antedated drum accompaniment.
Hear for yourself: www.myspace.com/goldenanimals
Recommended track: The Steady Roller....
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Black Pussy –Mmmmm, those driving rhythm are so tasty. Portlanders though they may be I never knew the guys from BP, that I know of anyway. I’m sad I didn’t because the genre and sound is spot on and it’s always nice to be around musicians that are as messed up as I. All that aside the drive to this Rock n’ Roll is most present and becoming in every track. There’s no mystery here, they lay it out thick, heavy and with plenty of familiar innuendo. If you don’t like it, go read a book in a coffee shop “Soccer Mom”! Actually I bet lots of Soccer Moms would find Black Pussy quite appetizing.
Indulge yourself: www.myspace.com/blackpussyband
Recommended track: The Queen
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Outdoorsmen –Receive the “Best band do get drunk, party with and make an ass out of yourself without having to worry if they’ll look down on you” Award! That’s a good one.The Outdoorsmen don’t seem to be the stuck up kind, this Bay Area band seem to share their strong arm for all to feel, like “Hey, check this out”. Yeah, good times Rock n’ Roll. Not too punk, not too Garage, not too “Rock star A-hole”.This is the music you want to go drink cheap beer and get unusually obnoxious to.
So, do it: www.myspace.com/theoutdoorsmenmusic
Recommended track: Aint Got No Chains
Bodhi – I had never heard of this band when we were billed to do a show in ....Portland.... bar with them, but I was thrilled when I hear their music. Damn fine Garage/60’s, up beat, clean guitar,danceable Rock n’ Roll tunes! They know how to slow it down and get smoothly melodic as well. Great Rock n’ Roll Male Tenor vocals and fun, interesting lyrics that make you want to figure out what he’s singing.
Dig: www.myspace.com/bodhirock
Recommended track: Nadine
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Green Apple –Dance to your Rock n’ Roll! Green Apple are a great combo of good times danceable Rock n’ Roll and something you can respect. We played a show with them a while back and they blew me away, very infectious vintage almost “the Animals” sound. More up beat and less conceded than the Animals though. Organ dominating sound played by the Lead singer and some great riffs by a shoe-less guitarist. A total blast to listen to, good for any party and to pick you up when you’re low on your Vitamin D.
An apple a day: Jeanie Was A Motorbiker
....PORTLAND!Don’t forget to go:
poster by War Bonnett Design
We’re gonna’ have SO much fun it should be criminal! Jonas,Teenage and Kyle will all be getting on stage to play songs they’ve recorded with me as former members of Everybody Gets Laid. All of you cool cats will get to check our new Drummer Matt Winter who will be kicking out the new jams, like “I’m A Joke” and “You Don’t Ride A Bike” as well as others. Can’t wait to see you!
BD