What, a post from Brightskull Records?! It's been awhile. We've been super busy running our new all ages venue in louisville, Skull Alley, and haven't had time to work on putting out more records.

We're
happy to announce that in the beginning of May we are releasing our
first record in a long while. It's a split 7" between louisville's
MOUNTAIN ASLEEP and Ohio's ANTILLES. I've just uploaded one of the
tracks from the Mountain Asleep side as a teaser to our player. Enjoy.

Both bands will be touring in March, Mountain Asleep is hitting the midwest and east coast, while Antilles is heading south. Check out their myspace pages for more tunes and to see if they are coming near you!

www. myspace. com/mountainasleep
www. myspace. com/antillesoh

<3
jamie
brightskull records

As of now, ONE SMALL STEP "another shelter" is now available on itunes and emusic! It's kind of weird for me, but from here on out all Brightskull Releases will also be available for digital download. I'm not sure if any of the back catalog will go up also, but who knows.

At least look up the record and give it a listen. Maybe a few of you will buy a song or two and help make up for the band moving to another state.
<3
jamie brightskull

Wow, this is the first time ever that three of the bands on the label are going to be out of town at once! Watch them as they take the northeast by storm!

Of course, NAKATOMI PLAZA is leading the pack, starting this weekend. It appears their new record is written and they are starting to venture out on weekends.

NAKATOMI PLAZA Dates:
May 9th - Providence, RI @ the Living Room
May 10th - Allston, MA @ OBrien's Pub
May 27th - Brooklyn, NY @ Lost and Found w/History
May 31st - Baltimore, MD @ Charm City Artspace w/Young Hearts
June 1st - New Brunswick, NJ @ TBA

Next up is ONE SMALL STEP, spreading their brand of psychedelic/indie/pop-tronica out of Louisville for the first time, and coincidentally, the last time before they move to Milwaukee. Check 'em out before they blow up.

ONE SMALL STEP Dates:
May 15th - Cinncinnatti, OH @ Gypsy Hut w/Plows
May 16th - Columbus, OH @ Vietcongress
May 17th - Easton, PA @ Rudich Ranch w/Bridge and Tunnel!
May 18th - Philadelphia, PA @ Dock St. Brewery
May 19th - TBA (help!)
May 20th - New Brunswick, NJ @ Junkyard Palace
May 21st - Brooklyn, NY @ Lost and Found (FREE!!!)
May 22nd - New York, NY @ Goodbye Blue Monday
May 23rd - Washington, DC @ the Party Pit w/Celebrity Murders and Den Of Thieves
May 24rd - @ TBA (help!)

Last, but certainly not least, PRIDESWALLOWER  is heading out for a weekend filled with gut-wrenching guitar and noise. You know you'll love it, plus it'll help you digest all those white castles you just ate. All Dates are with DACTYL

PRIDESWALLOWER Dates
May 24th - Baltimore, MD @ The Talking Head
May 25th - New York, NY @ The Charleston
May 26th - Riverdale, MD (washington, DC area) @ House Show ( 6107 43rd St)

Who are these clowns anyway? You can check out tunes at:
www.myspace.com/nakatomiplaza
www.myspace.com/onesmallstep
www.myspace.com/prideswallower

Also if you like what you hear, you can buy some of their records from our brand new webstore at: SKULL ALLEY

Whew! That's more news than I've typed in a long, long time.
hugs,
jamie
brightskull records
po box 4831 louisville, ky 40204

wow, been a long time since I’ve posted an update.

Last year was spent getting readjusted to living in Louisville again, reconnecting with and losing old friends, and trying to gain some perspective.

It was also spent releasing two awesome new records!

First in late summer we released the 7" version of the debut ep from Louisville’s PRIDESWALLOWER, featuring Mr. Adam Rains from Kodan Armada/In Tongues on guitar/vocals playing some seriously heavy scuzzy punk/grunge with enough feedback and fuzz that it should make your ears bleed, but somehow it makes you tap your foot and headbang to catchy riffs. The CD version of this release came out thanks to our friends in Auxiliary Records. The 7" version features redesigned artwork by Dan Davis of Skeleton Royal, screenprinted lovingly by SKULL ALLEY PRINTS, and available on two colors of vinyl.

You can check out Prideswallower online, or if you live in the midwest they are embarking on a couple weekend tours coming up in April/May with the likes of LORDS, Moutain Asleep, and Nice People.

In January, we also released a new CD from Louisville’s ONE SMALL STEP, called "Another Shelter" this record is their first proper album. One Small Step walks the line between pop and indie, experimental and conventional, dance and folk, to create a sound that is upbeat and happy, but revealing in complexity with each new listen. Drawing comparisons ranging from The Postal Service, to The Arcade Fire, to Modest Mouse, to dark pop dance/nintendo music, One Small Step definitely is something new to spring up out of Louisville.

One Small Step is heading out on tour of the northeast in May, check out our myspace for updated tourdates. If you would like to help out with shows, email me at info@brightskull.com or myspace message me.

Also in the works, slated for an early summer release is a memorial compilation CD for my brother Dylan. Obviously, this has been a hard thing to work on and instead of trying to make it perfect I’m ready to just get it out. This CD is a benefit for the Center For Women And Families (www.thecenteronline.org) here in Louisville, KY, a rape crisis/women’s center that does great work in the city. The CD features unreleased tracks from the following: Latterman, Nakatomi Plaza, Attica Attica, North Lincoln, One Small Step, Lemuria, Mike Park, and many more. Keep an eye out, yo.

that’s it for now. You can order our releases online at www.skullalley.net/catalog or through NO IDEA RECORDS, Interpunk, and more.

Keep the rock rolling,
Jamie
Brightskull Records

Brightskull News 12/30/06

I'm happily awaiting the end of this year, hoping that it will leave whatever strange dark cloud has been following me around all year behind with it. Many of you who know me personally have already heard this, but for those of you who haven't my little brother Dylan died last month of a tragic accident at the age of 18. I've since moved from Seattle back home to Louisville and been working on picking up the pieces.

Dylan was an active member of the punk community here in Louisville from the young age of 13, promoting countless shows and playing in numerous bands, including a band on Brightskull: POCKET BOMB. His uplifting spirit and thirst for life affected those around him in ways that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. I'll miss him as a brother, as a friend, and as an inspiration.

Naturally, there are some changes in store for Brightskull. There's something about tragedy that brings out new strength and resolve. I'm in the process of incorporating the label into a non-profit organization. Every record that will come out from henceforth will be a partial benefit for a local cause of the band's choosing. I've also set up a memorial fund to release his writing as a zine, release a benefit comp for a local rape crisis center (one of his unrealized dreams I found in his journal), and to promote actions that benefit and strengthen the local DIY community through art, music, and activism.

In label news, the Nakatomi Plaza "unsettled" LP preorders are all shipped out, and copies have landed at NO IDEA and SLAVE UNION. You can also order copies for $8ppd through Brightskull. Nakatomi Plaza will be heading out on tour for a week in January (see dates below), as well as another week in february and three weeks in March to support the CD release date for Unsettled (thank you Red Leader Records!!!). Be sure to check them out on these dates with their new sound as a three piece. They'll have copies of the LP with them, but no CD until March!

Ayin is also gearing up to head out for a short tour at the beginning of January to support the release of their new CD "FEAR OF TIGERS" coming out on a fellow Louisville label, Shrodinger Records. Come out and check them out on tour, and maybe hang out with their cute mohawked roadie (yours truly! my first tour since the last armada tour!).

Speaking of the Armada, I found the last 150 copies of the Kodan Armada / Montcalm split 7" when I moved back to town. Pick one up before they're gone forever. Adam and Cory's other bands IN TONGUES and PRIDESWALLOWER are both planning on recording in the next two months for releases on Brightskull, and are playing a couple of shows coming up for you Louisville kids.

MANHATTA is also getting ready to record for a split 7" with PRIDESWALLOWER to come out on Brightskull.

There's more to say, but that's enough for now!
Up The Punx!
love,
Jamie Prott
Brightskull Records
Po Box 4831 Louisville Ky 40204
checks to jamie prott

www.myspace.com/brightskull
www.myspace.com/ayin2
www.nakatomiplaza.com
www.myspace.com/manhatta

AYIN DATES
Dec 30 2006 - Louisville, Kentucky 6:00P @ Keswick Democratic Club w/PRIDESWALLOWER, MANHATTA, BLACK CROSS
Jan 2 2007 - Morgantown, West Virginia 6:00P @ 213 Green St Artspace
Jan 3 2007 - Washington DC 8:00P @ The Black Cat
Jan 4 2007 - Charleston, West Virginia 5:00P @ Roosevelt Neighborhood Center
Jan 5 2007 - Whitesburg, Kentucky 6:00P @ Appalshop
Jan 6 2007 - Lexington, Kentucky 8:00P @ Wildcat Infoshop
Feb 4 2007 - St. Louis, Missouri 8:00P @ Lemp Arts Center

NAKATOMI PLAZA DATES
December 28 - Brooklyn, NY @ North Six (downstairs) w/ Nakatomi Plaza, Attica Attica (ex-Marathon), et al. $7, 8pm, 18+ (all ages w/parent)
January 13 - Brooklyn, NY @ North Six (downstairs) $7, 8pm, 18+ (all ages w/parent)
January 14 - anywhere in NJ, PA, MD, or DC area... email oscar@nakatomiplaza.com to HELP!
January 15 - Richmond, VA @ Hyperlink Cafe
January 16 - Norfolk, VA @ The Taphouse Grill
January 17 - Greenville, NC @ The Spazz Gallery
January 18 - Fayetteville, NC @ Bourbon Street all ages. $10 over 21/$12 under 21.
January 19 - anywhere in NC, MD, VA, DC-area... email oscar@nakatomiplaza.com to HELP! TBA.
January 20 - Baltimore, MD @ TBA w/ Avec et al.

IN TONGUES DATES (wow! they're playing a show!)
January, 3 2007 at Brick House
1011 S. 2nd St, Louisville, Kentucky
Cost : $5 w/ back when, ducket

MANHATTA DATES
Jan 8 - Louisville, Kentucky 6:00 PM @ 1617 Story Ave
w/Capsule (Robotic Empire), Birthday Boyz (From New York), Viking!

REALMS DATES
Jan 17th - Louisville, Ky 6:00pm @ 1617 Story Ave
w/Screamhello, Viking!

I'm proud to announce two new releases that are in the works. I may be jumping the gun a little, but even if they don't happen I'm happy to give these bands a little more exposure. This winter, brightskull will be releasing a vinyl version of NAKATOMI PLAZA's new full length record, UNSETTLED. Lovingly produced by J. Robbins, this release is the most exciting one yet for me. And I thought Ayin's full length NOTHING ISLANDS was pretty dang exciting. The CD version for this record is still without a home, unfortunately. Check out some mp3s at www.myspace.com/nakatomiplaza. Also in the works is a split 7" from louisville's IN TONGUES and omaha's BACK WHEN. This 7" will be limited to one pressing and will featuring one song from each band covering the other. Keep a look out for this release in the Spring of 2006. In the meantime, check out IN TONGUES upcoming split with LORDS coming out soon on HYPERREALIST RECORDS. You can hear a song from the In Tongues demo and the upcoming Lords split at www.myspace.com/intongues1. Sadly, I'm announcing the cancelation of the GROTESQUE BURLESQUE DVD release that was planned for spring. This project is in limbo and may or may not ever see the light of day. I recently received 30 copies of the Operation:Cliff Clavin/Max Levine Ensemble split 7" in the mail, Brightskull was one of the 60 people/labels that help put it out. Copies are $3ppd. that's all for now... love, jamie brightskull records

Pocket Bomb's full length CD "intentions" is now available for ordering! Pocket Bomb is from Louisville and play simple, heartfelt, personal/socially conscious pop punk songs similar to the Lawrence Arms, the Broadways, Operation:Cliff Clavin, etc.

Check them out at www.myspace.com/pocketbomb

12 song CD = $5ppd
checks/mo payable to JAMIE PROTT

love,
Brightskull Records
po box 4831
louisville ky 40204
www.brightskull.com

I've pressed 500 more copies of the fabled Kodan Armada/Montcalm split 7" to celebrate the new label name. This record originally appeared under the label name "Thrown Brick" and was limited to 800 copies on various colors of vinyl and slightly different packaging. These last 500 copies are pressed on a beautiful marbled green vinyl with hand screened covers. A portion of the proceeds from this record will be donated to ADELE COLLINS' medical fund. Adele used to write the zine I STAND ALONE and set up tons of shows in Louisville back in the day. Recently, she was diagnosed with Pseudotumor Cerebri, a disease that affects the spinal cord and brain tissue, similar to a brain tumor. Her insurance company is treatening to drop her if she cannot make the $1100+/mo premium payments. If left untreated, Adele could suffer irreversable brain damage, loss of eyesight, or death. To send Adele correspondence or make a donation: Adele Collins PO Box 321 Buckner, KY 40010 or Paypal account: acollins3@prodigy.net. Kodan Armada has asked Brightskull to donate all of their share of the split record proceeds to Adele, and I've agreed to match them. Copies of this record are available for $4ppd through Brightskull, or you can pick them up through Ebullition now (and hopefully Revelation, No Idea, and Slave Union starting next week).

I've just decided that I'm going to let the ANN BERETTA CD "the other side of the coin..." go out of print for good. This CD is the acoustic CD recorded by Ann Beretta inbetween the releases "bitter tongues" on Fueled By Ramen and "to all our fallen heroes" on Lookout and features 13 acoustic versions of songs from those two releases as well as a couple songs exclusive to this record.

I have a couple hundred copies of the record left; after those are gone, so is this record. I'm offering a special through my MYSPACE profile where you can buy the record for $5ppd through paypal, cheaper than you'll find anywhere else. Just hit the "buy now" button in my user profile and you'll be magically transported to Paypal.

You can also find copies of the CD at www.noidearecords.com, www.interpunk.com, www.revhq.com, www.stickfigure.com, and www.verydistro.com.

hugs,
jamie p.
brightskull records
po box 4831 louisville ky 40204
www.brightskull.com
 
ps - if anyone is interested in getting a copy of Operation:Cliff Clavin's 19 song acoustic CD "who needs electricity?", I only have about 75 copies left. This release also will not be repressed. Copies are also available for $5 through paypal on the myspace profile, or you can get them from www.noidearecords.com.

HI Folks, this is the Brightskull news update for 5/18/05. I've been working hard on confirming all the dates for AYIN's first tour, you can check out a lot of the dates on the "shows" section of the myspace account. If you live in any of those cities you should check 'em out, they're even better live than on record ... which for anyone who's heard their CD should seem like an impossibility. I've finished up the first batch of covers for the repress of the Kodan Armada/Montcalm split 7", printing 500 more copies on sea foam green vinyl, copies are available now through ebullition, and should be arriving at Revelation, No Idea, and Interpunk next week. I've also been trying to get the masters ready to send out for the POCKET BOMB full length CD, which should be ready to ship the first week of June. Ayin has also been getting rave reviews for their full length NOTHING ISLANDS, here's what a couple people had to say: "I can't believe I haven't heard this band before. They're noisey and chaotic and suddenly sullen and clever and sincere and 100% kick ass. I guess they're also poster children for every brilliant band who doesn't get nearly the kind of recognition they deserve. But hopefully "Nothing Islands" will change that. Songs fluctuate rapidly from tumultuous guitars and keyboards, thundering drums, and exclamations about death to mesmerizing verses filled with droney synth lines and chimey guitar patterns. Ayin keeps you on your toes at all times, but never makes you pissed off about it as they never really go overboard with the dynamic shifts. One of the best parts about this album is its dual nature. While a level of playfulness is certainly retained in these songs, the angry and melancholy elements of the music are never lost in the mix. Ayin's ability to balance these aspects in such a chaotic format on this record is masterful. Not to mention the muscianship is excellent, as it should be for such technically demanding songs. The recording is tough and gritty, a perfect match for the music. The lyrics are dark, yet quirky. The artwork/packaging is great (especially that coyote on the insert). I really can't say enough good things about this release and feel a little guilty for not saying more. But really this record is fucking great and I recommend it to anyone who has respect for people doing something original and doing a damn fine job at it." - Status Magazine ..27 "This record rules: a strange combination of that Shellac bass-heavy rock sound, hardcore, circus synthesizers and spastic rock n roll. I know is sounds terrible, but it's not. Somehow, Ayin have a way of combining all of these wacky elements that is pure awesomeness. Check it out for yourself!" - Punk Planet ..67 hugs, jamie prott brightskull records po box 4831 louisville ky 40204 www.brightskull.com