Hey Folks,

This is a little late posting here what with the out-of-town-ness and all that, but I hope you enjoy it:

You can download the whole thing here.

I decided to do a thematic sort of set here and play some songs that I associate with some good times and new discoveries made during FEST over the years. For those who don’t know, FEST is, as it might sound, a music fest that has taken place in Gainesville, FL annually over the past seven years. Living just a couple hours south here in Tampa, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to attend all of ‘em so far. I really believe that some of the best music recorded in the past few years has been represented at FEST and I put this podcast here together in an attempt to illustrate that point. I know a lot of these bands are probably familiar to most Razorcake readers and I gotta say right up front that it was impossible for me to play everything I wanted to share. There are some glaring omissions, I know, and for that I apologize. In fact, whittling this down to just over an hour was quite a task. But, hopefully, that just furthers my case a little bit.

-Russ

Playlist:

1)  Toys That Kill - "They Tied Up All The Lace" from Shanked! (Recess)
2)  The Ergs! – “Pray For Rain” from dorkrockcorkrod (Don Giovani)
3)  Ninja Gun – “Darwin Was A Baptist” from Restless Rubes (Suburban Home)
4)  Ringers – “Dial Tones” from the Ringers / Ampere split 7” (No Idea)
5)  Pretty Boy Thorson & The Falling Angels – “28 Years” from Ain’t It Funny… (ADD)
6)  David Dondero – “Mighty Mississippi” from Simple Love (Team Love)
7)  Tiltwheel – “Skyway” from We’ll Inherit The Earth…A Tribute To The Replacements (1-2-3-4 Go! Records)
8)  Sexy – “Unocount” from Por Vida (Plan-It-X South)
9)  Jack Palance Band – “Heaven” from Get This Shit Under Way (ADD)
10) Dear Landlord – “Crashing” from Dear Landlord / Off With Their Heads split 7” (No Idea)
11) Madison Bloodbath – “Oh The Places You’ll Stay” from Getting’ Loose With… (ADD)
12) The Figgs – “Miss Velvet” from Miss Velvet (Matt Label)
13) Hot New Mexicans – “Or Else I’ll Pout” from It’s Called Leaning Back (Salinas)
14) Super Chinchilla Rescue Mission – “Georgia Ave.” Bottledirt / Super Chinchilla Rescue Mission split 7” (Snuffy Smiles)
15) Billy Reese Peters - “What’s Up Ding Dong?” from Grabass Charlestons / Billy Reese Peters split (No Idea)
16) Vena Cava – “3/4 Part II” from Weapons Of Mass Communication (ADD)
17) Dillinger Four – “Gainesville” from C I V I L W A R (Fat Wreck)
18) Drunken Boat - “Keep On Keep On Keep On” from Drunken Boat (Salinas)
19) Bent Outta Shape – “Rudes + Cheaps” from Stray Dog Town (Recess)


TOYS THAT KILL: San Pedro, CA’s TTK are one of the highlights of FEST every year for me and this song from their most recent full-length seemed like a great way to kick things off.

THE ERGS!: These guys have, unfortunately, played their last shows, but, when I first saw them at FEST a few years ago, I was completely blown away and made it point to catch them as often as I could. If you find the quick transition between this song and TTK irritating, I apologize, but most of the tracks on dorkrockorckrod run together and I had to set that up in advance to make it sound all cool and DJ-ey.

NINJA GUN: A few years back, a band I play in had to cancel our FEST appearance at the last minute because our guitar player got stabbed. This funny Valdosta, GA band who called themselves Ninja Gun, took our place and ended up becoming one of my favorite bands from the southeast – not to mention a bunch of rad fellas to boot. And that was easily the best (and probably the only) good thing to ever come out of one of my friends being stabbed. Ninja Gun’s album, Restless Rubes, was definitely one of my favorite records of 2008.

RINGERS: I just recently started to get into Ringers, but this song from the split 7” with Ampere has definitely helped out.

PRETTY BOY THORSON AND THE FALLING ANGELS: One day, Dave from ADD records came over and brought a CD of his “new favorite band” and I’ve looked forward to PBT and the F’N’As visits to FL for FEST and otherwise ever since. He eventually put out a re-issue of the record this song was taken from and has kept up good with subsequent Pretty Boy Thorson and the Falling Angels releases.

DAVID DONDERO: I was slow to get into Dave Dondero’s stuff. I heard his name for a couple years before I heard him, but now I consider him to be one of the best songwriters around and I sorta feel stupid for not being more on top of things.

TILTWHEEL: I think Tiltwheel has made it over from Escondido, CA every year for FEST. I remember the first time I heard Hair Brained Scheme Addicts years ago at a friend’s apartment in Gainesville and they’ve been one of my favorite bands ever since. It was hard to pick one song to play, and I know the ‘Mats cover is kind of a cop out. But, I will say that the ‘Mats tribute it was taken from is well worth multiple spins and that this will probably not be the last time you hear Tiltwheel on any podcasts I do.

SEXY: These guys broke my heart when they called it a day a few years back, but they put out a couple records for the ages. Por Vida is especially favored by myself and many other folks if you can track that one down. Fortunately, a couple of the guys formed a band called Future Virgins who have now put out two remarkable 7” records and some comp songs here and there. One of the fellas in Future Virgins also played in…

JACK PALANCE BAND: …this band…another lost but not forgotten band that kept me mostly sane and ferociously rockin’ for a few years. It was sad to see ‘em go, but from the ashes of JPB has risen Hidden Spots who is without a doubt one of my favorite bands making music these days. The Hidden Spots set at FEST last year was one for the books.

DEAR LANDLORD: Dear Landlord is another FEST alum that I’m just starting to get into, but I think this song from the OWTH split in a really amazing song.

MADISON BLOODBATH: These guys haven’t been around for too long, but if the debut full-length record they just put out is any indication of what’s to come then here’s to hoping they stick around for a good while.

THE FIGGS: The Figgs have been around forever and I think it’s a shame that they don’t get near the recognition they probably deserve. They’ve even backed up Graham Parker, and if that was all they’d done with their time, it would still be quite an accomplishment. But they’ve also managed to release several great full-length records and numerous one-off singles and 7”s – from one which this song here was taken. When they played FEST a couple years ago I remember looking around at the relatively small crowd watching them and noticed that just about every person watching them played in a band that was also playing FEST that year.

HOT NEW MEXICANS: Another band that, despite having released an absolutely incredible full length (not to mention a couple killer 7”s), has somehow managed to be largely overlooked by too many people. Get hip folks.

SUPER CHINCHILLA RESCUE MISSION: All the way back to the first FEST. How many livers have sustained irreparable damage since then? Probably at least a thousand times as many as there are letter’s in this band’s name. Unfortunately SCRM called it a day just when it looked like they were really starting to get some even better things going, but Seth Swaaley, the singer, has started playing and writing again.

BILLY REESE PETERS: BRP was the penultimate experience for many a self-indulgent FEST-goer for all the years they were together. They were the headlining soundtrack to the ultimate party show just about every year and probably hold some sort of attendance record for shirtless champagne-drinking men. Of course, the chances of witnessing a BRP performance and maintaining a level of sobriety compatible with the recall of information pretty much nulls anything I’d have to say about it. Funny thing is I don’t remember much about this band at all, but the records are still good.

VENA CAVA: Vena Cava has been playing this song forever and I’m glad they finally decided to record it. I’m not sure how many FESTs VC has played at this point, but fortunately it’s more than they’ve missed.

DILLINGER FOUR: If you are a regular Razorcake subscriber and are uncertain on who D4 is, I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you can’t actually read. This record was reviewed in the last issue at least a couple dozen times and the content and subtitle (A Thank You Card to Radon) for the song “Gainesville” seemed not out of place here.

DRUNKEN BOAT: I’ve enjoyed Drunken Boat recordings for a good while now, but this new record is really something else. Here’s to hoping I get to see ‘em again next year.

BENT OUTTA SHAPE: I remember the one time I got to see this band, one of the Razorcake writers and I were hanging out at my place the day before we were to head up to Gainesville for FEST. He made it very clear to me that Bent Outta Shape was one of the best bands he’d heard in awhile and that, under no circumstances, should I miss them. Nor was I to leave Gainesville without a copy of “Stray Dog Town”. I managed to follow all of this advice and have led a richer life for it. Jamie Ewing was the singer for Bent Outta Shape. He passed away recently at far too young an age. I didn’t know Jamie personally, but it’s hard for me to listen to this song and not feel the loss.

Hey Folks,

Perhaps you may have noticed that Razorcake's podcasts were MIA for a bit? Or perhaps you didn't notice, but noticed that they're back? or maybe you don't care either way. Well, rgardless, the Razorcake podcasts are back and my fourth one has been posted right here.

Here's a playlist and description of said playlist:

1. Off With Their Heads - "I Am You" from From the Bottom (No Idea)
2. Delroy Wilson - "Better Must Come" from Trojan Jamaican Superstars Box Set (Trojan)
3. Drive-By Truckers - "Sinkhole" from Decoration Day (New West)
4. Beach Boys - "Wild Honey" from Wild Honey (Capitol)
5. ALL - "Can't Say" from Dot (Cruz)
6. Charlie Ryan - "Hot Rod Lincoln"
7. Clairmel - "Boots And Bras" from Boots And Bras (No Idea)
8. Spoke - "80 Percent" from All We Need Of Hell (Kung Fu Zombie/Allied)
9. Radon - "Wasting Time" from We Bare All (No Idea)
10. Joy Division - "Warsaw" from Substance 1977-1980 (Qwest)
11. Roland Kirk - "One Ton" from Volunteered Slavery (Rhino/Atlantic)
12. Fugazi - "Furniture" from Fugazi EP - dis129 (Dischord)
13. Blind Willie Johnson - "Dark Was The Night" from The Blues: A Smithsonian Collection Of Classic Blues Singers, Volume 1
14. The Dubliners - "The Old Triangle" from The Best Of The Dubliners (Epic/Legacy)

OFF WITH THEIR HEADS: Track 1, Side 1 off of "From The Bottom", the new album by the current champs of feel-bad rock and roll amongst the Razorcake set. This is the follow-up full-length to "Hospitals", 7"s and various comp songs. It did not disappoint.

DELROY WILSON: A classic early ‘70s cut from a reggae icon. I became curious about Delroy Wilson, a.k.a. "The Cool Operator," from his being mentioned in The Clash song, "White Man in Hammersmith Palais" and got into him from there.

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS: I was really pleasantly surprised to see Drive-By Truckers-related items in some of the Top Fives in Razorcake an issue back and thought this would be a good opportunity to play one of my favorite tracks for some of you Razorcakers. My friend, Scott, got me into these guys several years ago and I've since become a pretty big fan of just about everything that them and Jason Isbell (now a solo artist) have done. Maybe it helps living down here where they seem to have a really strong following, but they definitely are a great live band and some of the best songwriters around to boot. Their full-lengths have a lot of material and knowing where to start can be a tough decision. My recommendations would be The Dirty South or Decoration Day.

BEACH BOYS: "Wild Honey" was recorded during the Beach Boys infamous post-Pet Sounds days when increased drug use and paranoid schizophrenia were beginning to get their hooks in Brian Wilson. This album marked a return to form, but kept the best elements of the experimental side of the Beach Boys. I thought the Beach Boys were an all sun, fun and girls pop band when I was a kid. Apparently, Ronald Reagan thought that was the case as well when he had them play at the White House in the ‘80s. This record is one of my favorite records ever, not just for how great it is, but for the misconceptions it started to unravel for me regarding what I thought the Beach Boys were all about. It also started to open my eyes to the musical brilliance of Brian and Co. during these years.

ALL: I've been an ALL fan for a good while and thought sandwiching them between two artists they've covered would be a great opportunity to play a great B-Side from the "Dot" single. Which brings us to...

CHARLIE RYAN: If this song sounds familiar, it may be because ALL covered it on Allroy's Revenge, a great record in its own right. I think the musicianship here is top notch, especially the way these guys emulate the different sound effects. That was a common thing to do in country music in the early days and I think this is one of the best examples. Charlie Ryan was an early rockabilly pioneer who performed on the Grand Ole Opry. He passed away earlier this year.

CLAIRMEL: The members of Clairmel have been mainstays of the Tampa and Gainesville music scenes for a good fifteen years now. In addition to Clairmel, members have also played in Don't Be One, Awake, M.A.Y., Dogs On Ice, Watson, and Vagina Sore Jr. Along with Spoke, Radon, Bombshell, Less Than Jake and the Doldrums, Clairmel was one of a handful of Gainesville bands to release some of the first 7" records on No Idea Records. They have an extensive discography which is certainly worth checking out if you've never heard them. An extended version of this song appeared as a hidden track at the end of their LP Fair Weather Fan.

SPOKE: I think everything that Spoke recorded is available on Done and All We Need of Hell. At the time of this writing, both are available on CD via No Idea for $1.99 each. Compared to Radon and Clairmel, it took me a little while longer to get into Spoke, but when I finally did I was hooked deep. Member Jon Resh wrote a great book about his experiences with Spoke called Amped: Notes from a Go-Nowhere Punk Band that is hysterical and further cemented my love for this band.

RADON: This has got to be one of the very best songs from a band that has written, in my humble opinion, at least a dozen absolutely timeless songs. Despite their obvious success around town, Radon never really pursued the band as a full-time touring venture. The words for this song were actually co-written by fellow Gainesville band dude, Jeff London, who sang with Fay Wray and King Friday. Radon released Metric Buttloads of Rock! They also still play together on occasion and have even been caught out of Gainesville a couple times in recent years.

JOY DIVISION: This is the first song on Joy Division’s very first release.

ROLAND KIRK: Also known as Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Kirk was a very influential late ‘60s jazz saxophonist who was well-known, not only for his great music, but also for his unique approach which is certainly evident here.

FUGAZI: This is a song from a later Fugazi EP.

BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON: I think I belabored the Blind Willie Johnson story via the microphone enough already. If you’re into old blues and country recordings and you start trying to find out about them, it’s really amazing to discover how many of these absolutely incredible artists either just disappeared altogether or went on to live a life full of poverty and misfortune.

THE DUBLINERS: It should be obvious after listening, but The Dubliners were a tremendous influence on The Pogues, as well as a great band in their own right. RIP Ronnie Drew.

No, certainly not new Tim Version music, but instead a Podcast Radio Show for Razorcake done by me (Scott) with one Russ Van Cleave helping out.  It's stuff from all over the place.  Read below to see if it's worth your time, but don't be afraid and head over to the Razorcake website and find at least one Podcast that fits yer fancy. 

Here's the set list, followed with some "liner notes" that I drunkenly whipped up for the Razorcake webpage.  And although it's hard to believe, more useless facts are provided during the podcast.

Tim Rogers & The Twin Set "Bushell and a Peck" from What Rhymes With Cars And Girls (rooArt)
Nomeansno "Humans" from The Worldhood Of The World (As Such) (Alternative Tentacles)
Two Cow Garage "No Shame" from Three (Suburban Home)
Dillinger Four "No Voices In The Sky" from Pop For Charity: Sound Progression (Doubleplusgood)
Willie Nelson "Shotgun Willie" from Shotgun Willie (Atlantic/Rhino)
You Am I "Gunslingers" from Convicts (EMI/YepRoc)
B** G**s "Marley Purt Drive" from Odessa (Polydor)
Drag The River "Brookfield" from You Can't Live This Way (Mars Motors/Suburban Home)
The Move "The Minister" from Message From The Country (Harvest)
The Gentlemen "Sour Mash" from Ladies And Gentlemen… (Hearbox)
Dramarama "California Uber Alles" from a shitty CD-R
Future Of The Left "My Gymnastic Past" from Curses! (Too Pure)
John Fogerty "You're The Reason" from The Blue Ridge Rangers (Fantasy)

My good pal, Russ, did one of them fandangled Podcasts a few months back and I was totally stoked when I heard it. I'm rarely on the cutting edge of anything technological but it reminded me of those old days in college radio. Ah, the podcast. And here I could play whatever I wanted and not give a shit. Oh wait, that's exactly what I did in college radio (I'm willing to bet we were the only station to have Anal Cunt at the top of our charts)! I recall fondly speaking with Sony Records week after week and telling them that Oasis still sucked and we weren't going to play them. It got so bad that Matador Records stopped sending us shit. When they finally started resending us stuff, we decided to just send it back. Aw well... Fuck Matador! Stop listening to the radio. It's possessed and its name is Clear Channel. Do the world a favor and if you see a Phil Collins record for less than a buck, buy it just so you can destroy it (listening to The Damned's "Smash It Up" at this time is highly appropriate). You'll feel better... I promise! And you'll be saving the environment from catastrophic soundwaves! Anyway, thanks to Todd Taylor for the Podcastin' encouragement.
 
Here's how things went down:
 
1) Tim Rogers & The Twin Set – "Bushell And A Peck" from What Rhymes With Cars And Girls (rooArt)
Tim Rogers is from the brilliant Australian band, You Am I. I think he's the best songwriter on the planet. Many would disagree. And to top it off, this song proves nothing. It's an instrumental. Way to go, Scott... that's like picking Ken O'Brien when you had access to Dan Marino. And I say... EXACTLY!!!
 
2) Nomeansno – "Humans" from The Worldhood Of The World (As Such) (Alternative Tentacles)
I've yet to figure out why I absolutely love this song. Maybe it's because of all of the "characters" that appear in it. I mean, Nomeansno is Canadian... they've already got an advantage in that respect. After all, where do I get my love for red leather and the shortening of longer Polish names into things like "Mike Reno"? But Nomeansno challenges all forms of music by including whatever the fuck they want whenever the fuck they want. They're awesome. This is a fun little sing-a-long.
 
3) Two Cow Garage – "No Shame" from Three (Suburban Home)
 Seriously... I hate this band name. But bad band names do not always denote bad bands (though maybe Nørb is right). A good little rocker delivered the way a Midwest band should. If you've got some Lucero records, give 'em a rest and try these fellas out. Produced by the dude from Slobberbone. Slobber-what?!

4) Dillinger Four – "No Voices In The Sky" from Pop For Charity: Sound Progression (Doubleplusgood)
Hopefully people will find this of interest. I picked up this comp a few years ago and it somehow meshed two of my very favorite things: Dillinger Four and Motörhead. It's like when some ass-clown decided to put that slice of grape jelly next to that slice of peanut butter (or fluff... or ladies—take yer pick).
 
5) Willie Nelson – "Shotgun Willie" from Shotgun Willie (Atlantic/Rhino)
This is part of my investigation into the catalogue of Mr. Willie Nelson. I know he released some duds in his lifetime. Shit, that's probably what I would recall when thinking about him. I discovered a time period of gems, though, and then I bought "The Complete Atlantic Sessions" which comprised this record, "Phases & Stages" and a live record from that era and it's all fucking great! When it comes to Willie, you may want to dip your toe in the pool to make sure it's something you want to dive into headfirst, but this shit is badass!

6) You Am I – "Gunslingers" from Convicts (EMI/YepRoc)
Alright, so I figured if the first track was an instrumental, then I didn't really use up my pick for a Tim Rogers tune. This is from his rock band, You Am I. They are rock 'n' roll as rock 'n' roll should be played: Two guitars, bass, and drums (Young Fresh Fellows anyone?). If you like this track and ever find this album, just buy it. You'll love it. I promise. I've made two long-distance trips via airplane to see this band and they were some of the best decisions that I've ever made in my life. Note the rip-off of "Dim Lights" (the Flying Burrito Brothers covered it) during the bridge.

7) B** G**s – "Marley Purt Drive" from Odessa (Polydor)
My sissy-ass bold move (yes, that's an oxymoron... yes, I am a moron). I still don't want to give away the name of the band but yes, the first name begins with a "B" and the second half begins with a "G" and exists in the pluralistic form. Plain and simple... it's a bad-ass song. Someone will most definitely punch me for it. Please hit the arm, kind Sir/Madam.
 
8) Drag The River – "Brookfield" from You Can't Live This Way (Mars Motors/Suburban Home)
I thought Drag The River had already peaked a few years ago but then they sneak in some gem like "You Can't Live This Way" and all bets are out. Jon Snodgrass from Armchair Martian and Chad Price from ALL... you can just tell when things are genuine.
 
9) The Move – "The Minister" from Message From The Country (Harvest)
Ya see, before there was ELO, there was The Move. And The Move was really Roy Wood's project, but he invited Jeff Lynne to join the band, and that was a great idea because the stuff with both of them in the band is rad. They recorded a handful of tracks together and then decided to concentrate on Roy's project that he convinced Jeff Lynne to do: Electric Light Orchestra. They did, and then Roy decided it wasn't weird enough. C'mon, ELO?! It's not like they were following some successful formula! That shit was weird! (Check out "Face The Music" for a great ELO record.) Needless to say, Roy Wood plowed on to an uncharted career of bizarre ditties (except for a Christmas tune) and Jeff Lynne made some loot when Olivia Newton-John roller-skated counter-clockwise in circles. You have to love the music business, don't you? Much thanks to Cheap Trick for sending me in the right direction on this one. Go listen to "Dream Police."

10) The Gentlemen – "Sour Mash" from Ladies And Gentlemen… (Hearbox)
I thought that The Gentlemen would just be some half-assed side-project from Mike Gent from The Figgs. I bought the record and HOLY SHIT, the whole thing was fucking great! Who knew? Now maybe don't run out and buy all of the stuff from The Gravel Pit... I like 'em but you may not. If you come across "Ladies And Gentlemen... The Gentlemen", waste no time!
 
11) Dramarama – "California Uber Alles" from a shitty CD-R
An odd pick but I thought there was a chance that at least one person might appreciate it. Yes, it may be a bit dated, but I've always had a soft spot for Dramarama. Here they take a Dead Kennedys song and spruce it up a bit to coincide with Kindergarten Cop. Thank you, California, for relieving Florida from the butt-end of all political jokes (at least for the time being).

12) Future Of The Left – "My Gymnastic Past" from Curses! (Too Pure)
Argh! I'm not even listening to them right now but I want to! Just thinking about Future Of The Left gets me all excited. Take 2/3's of McLusky and start a new band and you've got 'em. Don't get me wrong, I love The Arrivals' "Marvels Of Industry," but this was probably my favorite record from last year.

13) John Fogerty – "You're The Reason" from The Blue Ridge Rangers (Fantasy)
One day I was record shopping and realized I had pretty much exhausted my CCR catalog and maybe it was time to move onto something new. "Hey, here's an odd John Fogerty record in the used bin and it doesn't have 'Centerfield' on it" (not a mandatory rule, but I thought it was a good start). Turns out that after CCR dissolved, Fogerty went on to do an entire album of bluegrass/country standards all by himself. Seriously, the whole thing is him. Layer upon layer. Fucking awesome! I couldn't believe how good it was and it turns out it's still somewhat of a hidden gem to this day. Spread the word, folks.
 
That's all I had time for this round. Much thanks to Russ for having the technology to pull this off and using the microphone. Please note that endless conversations most likely have been edited out of this broadcast because Russ and I generally talk about shit that no one else could possibly care about. No hard feelings if you feel the desire to fast-forward through some of the stuff on here. Any feedback, good or bad, is appreciated. Shawn is still pissed that neither Russ nor I played Spoke. Go tell Shawn to do his own damn podcast!

Hey Folks,

My (Russ's) third podcast for Razorcake has been posted right here.

You all should befriend Razorcake while you're at it, if you haven't already.

Here's a playlist and description of said playlist:

PLAYLIST:
1. The Effigies "Below The Drop" from Remains Nonviewable (Touch & Go)
2. The Remains "Don't Look Back" from Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 (Rhino)
3. Cleveland Bound Death Sentence "Between The Lions" from Cleveland Bound Death Sentence (THD)
4. Ofo The Black Company "Allah Wakbarr" from Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story Of 1970's Funky Lagos (Afrostrut)
5. Squirrel Bait "Sun God" from Skag Heaven Plus 8 Bonus Tracks (Homestead)
6. The Preachers "Who Do You Love?" from Pebbles: Original Artyfacts From The First Punk Era Volume One (BFD)
7. Modern Machines "Bus Stop" from All The Hits By The Ergs! & Modern Machines split 7" (Grateful…)
8. Fay Wray "Dead Flowers" from No Idea 100: Redefiling Music (No Idea)
9. Graham Parker & The Rumour "I Want You Back" from "Local Girls" b/w "I Want You Back (Alive)" (Arista)
10. Jesus & Mary Chain "Darklands" from Darklands (Blanco Y Negro/Rhino)
11. The Dukes Of Hillsborough "Freedom Fight Her Beer" from Telling Time By Our Vices (A.D.D.)
12. Crash Mitchell Quartet "All My Best Friends Are Assholes" from Come And Get It! (Uncommon Cause)
13. The Because "Unbearable Lightness Of Being" from Blotto / The Because split 7" record (Snuffy Smiles)
14. Don's Ex-Girlfriend "Chesapeake" from Big Pants Waste Precious Fabric: No Idea Fanzine 11 (No Idea)
15. Old Crow Medicine Show "Wagon Wheel" from Old Crow Medicine Show (Nettwerk America)

THE EFFIGIES: This is probably my favorite track from the classic Chicago band and a fine way to start another show, in my opinion.

THE REMAINS: One of the many, many great tracks from the Rhino Records Nuggets box set. The Remains were a Boston band from the '60s who have the notable distinction of having opened for The Beatles on their last tour (as indicated in a very roundabout way via some incessant babbling). Listening to this, it amazes me they were never more popular. As for the Nuggets box sets, these are CD box sets out by Rhino that amass a lot of the great garage rock from the '60s. All of which was a big influence on the early punk bands like The Stooges, New York Dolls, Patti Smith Group, etc. Heartily endorsed, especially if you're like me and not old enough to have been around to get all these records when they came out back in the '60s.

CLEVELAND BOUND DEATH SENTENCE: Now that I'm going back and trying to verify facts and the like, I really can't tell you where I got my info on the members of CBDS. But, I do know that is definitely Paddy (D4, Arrivals, etc.) on the vocals and bass duties and definitely Aaron Cometbus behind the drums. Not sure where I got The Salteens thing from but it seems right. Regardless, during their intermittent existence, this band has put out at least three great 7" records and some one-off songs here and there, much of which was compiled onto a collection CD by Lookout! Records. This song is from their first 7" recorded in 1998.

OFO THE BLACK COMPANY: When I worked at Vinyl Fever a few years ago, a friend of mine got me into a lot of the funk and rock music that came out of West Africa in the 1970s. The most famous artist from this era was Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the scene itself attracted a lot of attention in the U.K. Nonetheless, most groups from the time had recorded outputs that were limited to just a couple songs and little is known about most of them. The compilation from which this song was taken is full of such bands and this cut from Ofo The Black Company is one of my favorites.

SQUIRREL BAIT: My old roommate, Bean, made an awesome mix tape for me years ago with a bunch of obscure bands that started an avalanche of obsession with a lot of underground music. This song, "Sun God," from their first EP was one of my favorite songs off that tape. While Scott and I musing about subsequent bands these guys played in didn't amount to much at the time, the internet now tells me that members went on to play in Slint and Bitch Magnet.

THE PREACHERS: Much like the Nuggets compilation, the Pebbles compilations chronicled a lot of garage rock of the time, but on a smaller, regional scale. The song from L.A.'s The Preachers also serves as a tribute to Bo Diddley.

MODERN MACHINES: I'm unclear on whether the MoMacs "broke up" and reformed as the Used Kids or whether they just changed their name, but they are a favorite amongst many Razorcakers I know and this cover is just the tip of the iceberg.

FAY WRAY: One of my favorite bands of all-time. Just like the MoMacs, this is really just the tip of the iceberg with regards to this critically underrated Gainesville band. No offense to the Karl Hendricks Trio because it's a hell of a song, but this version lays the original to absolute waste.

GRAHAM PARKER & THE RUMOUR: Graham Parker has always worn his soul influence on his sleeve and I think this Jackson 5 cover is nothing but good times.

THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN: I've been having somewhat of a Jesus & Mary Chain renaissance of late and recently decided to pick up Darklands for the first time. This is a little bit of what I'd been missing out on for all these years.

THE DUKES OF HILLSBOROUGH: This is one of my favorite songs from what, I think, is the best Dukes Of Hillsborough record to date. The "Hillsborough" in the name comes from HillsboroughCounty, the county in which Tampa has urbanly sprawled.

CRASH MITCHELL QUARTET: Much like the Dukes, Crash Mitchell is another mainstay of Tampa area. Crash is known for his witty, well-crafted, and oftentimes comical songs ("Satan Moved to Nashville," "Glad She's Gone," and "Boobies for My Birthday" to name just a few). I couldn't really count the number microphones that have been crashed in the name of drunken sing-alongs at a Crash Mitchell shows in this area.

THE BECAUSE: In a country full of amazing bands, The Because, from the little town of Ise, Japan, have got to be one of the absolute best. I've been fortunate enough to see them live many times and they have always put on a mind-numbingly amazing performance.

DON'S EX-GIRLFRIEND: Another branch of the very large and incestuous Gainesville Band Family Tree. Actually, I think both Jimmy and Alex from Pathro UK United 13 were members of this band. They also put out a now out-of-print 7" that I never picked up for some stupid reason.

OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW: Mike Paul got me into these guys a little while back. Apparently, these guys managed to impress legendary bluegrass musician Doc Watson (a personal guitar hero of this Razorcake podcaster) enough to be included in his annual MerleFest several years back. The song here was an outtake from Bob Dylan's soundtrack work on the film "Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid." Apparently, Ketch Secor (guy in the band) added some verses around Dylan's original chorus to create what we have here.

"The next 50 U.S.
subscribers (sorry world, int'l postage sucks) will receive either The Tim Version Decline of the Southern Gentleman (No Idea) or A Benefit for the National Association to Protect Children compilation (Fat)"

So, there you go.
What a great opportunity to, not only get signed up with a great magazine, but to also get your hands on a free copy of a really great compilation as well.


For those of you don't know what a "Razorcake" is, here is how you can avoid subjugation to needless embarrassment at parties and other social gatherings due to your ignorance.


http://www. razorcake. org/site/
http://www. myspace. com/razorcake /

Thanks,

Band

Some nice folks who run a website called Scene Point Blank sent over some questions for us and we answered them.

So, if you like to read, you can go here:

http://www.scenepointblank.com/features/196

Thanks,

Band

If anyone is into these things, my (Russ) second Razorcake podcast went up yesterday. You can find it here:

http://www.razorcake.org/site/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=14400

I know it's been awhile since the first one, but there has been a lot of good stuff from a lot of other contributors that has gone up in the meantime that you should definitely check out if'n you haven't done so already. Honestly, if you want some new music to listen to, go here and dig in. All files are downloadable as MP3s for your convenience.

Anyways, here's all the nitty grittys on the latest one I did:

Playlist:
1) Grabass Charlestons - "I Like Cats" from The Ergs / Grabass Charlestons split 7" (No Idea)
2) Big Amos Patton - "Going To Vietnam" from V/A: Hi Records: River Town Blues + The R'n'B Sessions + The Soul Years (Hi)
3) Bruce Springsteen - "Where The Bands Are" from 18 Tracks (Columbia)
4) Monikers - "Mirror Images" from Eat Your Young (Kiss Of Death)
5) Ted Leo + The Pharmacists - "Bleeding Powers" from Shake The Sheets (Lookout!)
6) Red C - "Pressure's On" from V/A: Flex Your Head (Dischord)
7) Hot Water Music - "Drunken Third" from Fuel For the Hate Game (No Idea)
8) Wipers - "Youth of America" from Youth of America (Zeno)
9) Charlie Feathers - "Honky Tonk Kind" from 1956 Sun Demo (Norton)
10) Onion Flavored Rings - "I Kill Butterflies" from Used To It (Onion Flavored Records)
11) Mission Of Burma - "Academy Fight Song" from Signals, Calls, and Marches (Rykodisc)
12) The Replacements - "Bad Worker" from Hootenanny (re-issue) (Rhino)

GRABASS CHARLESTONS: I'm of the belief that the Grabass Charlestons are one of the best bands around right now and I think this song really supports my opinion. I probably did a poor job of convincing anyone of that here what with my awesome nervous talking and everything, but if I had to convince anyone who'd never heard them, the first song I'd sit down and make 'em really pay attention to would be "I Like Cats". Grabass can be pretty catchy to the casual listener on their own, but I find them most rewarding when I really sit down and get into the lyrics.

BIG AMOS PATTON: I'm not too knowledgeable about the comings and goings of Big Amos Patton, but I'm into this song. Honestly, this entire two-disc Hi Records comp is great if you're into soul and blues. Other great tracks from O.V. Wright, Al Green, Otis Clay, Willie Mitchell, etc.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: The finest example of the meaning of life summed up in a three-minute rocker if there ever was one.

MONIKERS: I still don't have my facts straight on this band, but I do know they are from Orlando and that I like the Eat Your Young EP they put out a while back. They also have a few 7"s available through Kiss Of Death, Art Of The Underground, and Salinas, I think.

TED LEO + THE PHARMACISTS: I tried for the longest time to hate this band just to ruin everyone else's good time, but I couldn't do it. Everything I've heard by them has been really good. Ted Leo is a great songwriter.

RED C: One of the many incredible early DC hardcore recordings from the Flex Your Head compilation. This song is also on the 20 Years Of Dischord box set which is also worth picking up. I played the one the box set because Travis still has my copy of Flex Your Head.

HOT WATER MUSIC: I've been back on Fuel For the Hate Game for some unknown reason lately (old man's nostalgia?) and this song has always been one of my favorites from that record.

WIPERS: I think this is one of the longest songs the Wipers ever recorded (especially when you consider that the average Wipers song doesn't get much past the two minute mark), but I also think it's one of the best. Brilliant, brilliant!

CHARLIE FEATHERS: This song is from a Norton Records 7" of two demos that Charlie Feathers recorded for Sun.

ONION FLAVORED RINGS: There's a lot more to OFR than I could really relay here. These guys have been around as OFR for a long time and have been playing music in other bands for an even longer time. Paul even played with Crimpshrine for awhile. Aside from the Used To It LP, they've released 7" records and full-lengths through No Idea and have most recently released a 7" on Thrillhouse Records and also have a split out with Future Virgins. A great band that is definitely worth looking into if you've never heard them before.

MISSION OF BURMA: I thought it would be coy to play this song right prior to the Replacements song since Paul was apparently way into the first MOB 7". Instead, it just turned into a really stupid reason to play a really great song. "Nerd!"

THE REPLACEMENTS: The Replacements are on a short list of music I mention when people ask me what my favorite bands/artists are. I just picked up the Rhino re-issues of Hootenanny (my favorite Mats record) and Stink (the cheapest Mats record) and was blown away by this acoustic demo for a song that Paul Westerberg wrote that was included as one of the extra tracks on Hootenanny. The song never made it as an official Replacements song apparently, but I think it really illustrates two things that went a long way towards making them great band they were: one, how far reaching lots of their influences were, even early on and two, their honest approach to songwriting. What I mean is that while it obviously sounds like a blues song, it is also unconventional because Paul, having not grown up poor and black in the south (where the blues came from), had to bring his own point-of-view. Otherwise it would have sounded like any other cliche third-generation "blues catalog" singer who'd made a career or ripping off people like Son House and Fred McDowell. I made the half-hearted dedication to all the folks from the LA area that myself and the young lady just got to visit recently, so I'll make the full-hearted one here. It was great seein' you fellas (Todds, Jimmy, Matt, Suzie). Here's to hopin' I'll see you all again before FEST!

"This album has good moments. The good moments are when the band plays hard and fast, and breaks stuff. This album has bad moments. The bad moments are when they play really slowly and for ages. I get bored at this point. I would say the album is about 80-20 on the good / bad ratio. The helter-skelter punk of "Paradise by the Fluorescent Lights" is a perfect example of the band on form – blitzkrieg, Radon style sloppiness with uber-gruff vocals. I am a bit perturbed by the huge number of gruff punk bands out there right now, what is wrong with singing? But hey, I guess we do need 1000 7" a year that are all kind of similar after all, or Littletype and No Idea would go out of business. The Tim Version go a bit further than just being gruff mind you, they throw in the whole hoarse throated "MAN I DRINK WHISKEY" type thing. Whether they do or not, I have no idea, nor do I care. If they really drank whiskey they would sound like Rex Hobart though, I know that much. Anyways, it's good to hear a new band sound a bit like Radon, and not so much like all the other gruff punk bands out there. The opening track "Shin Splints" is a particular stand out in this style.

"The band slip up on boring tracks such as "Too Many Saturday Nights". The slow paced tosh is just offensive to my ears. Gruff punk bands should know better. If you're going to slow it down, emo it up, like Blacktop Cadence. The country tedium of final track, "League Minimum" also tires me. Luckily it's the last track, and the last track is always easily avoidable.

"Anyways, this is a really solid LP of the gruff. Despite the fact that if you enjoy the gruff you already own 435 7" that are all kind of similar, and a couple of LPs, I would suggest you pick this one up as well, as the Tim Version play it better than 417 of those bands you have on the singles."

- Andy Malcom
Collective Zine

"Decline of the Southern Gentleman is the much-anticipated new album from one of Central Florida's most respected punk bands, The Tim Version. Though at first listen it's a simple punk album, there are a handful of subtleties that prove Decline of the Southern Gentleman a solid release through and through. Underlying Replacements-influenced guitar riffs and growly backup vocals fill the album until it nearly bursts with energy. The first track titled "Shin Splints" is raw and passionate; much like the entire record. The Tim Version has worked hard on this release, and it shows. The master quality of the album makes them seem like much more than the local, rowdy, punk band that they have become known as over the last few years.

"The sound The Tim Version makes is an upfront, even wall of power that sounds great no matter where played. Their songs, though far from delicate, are thoughtfully put together, but still remain the edgy punk melodies that are always great to yell along to. There are tongue-in-cheek lyrics throughout the album like the anthem "I Still Hang Out with the Drinking Crowd," a clever, relatable reminder of the times when we all think about putting down the bottle after one too many crazy nights. Though the band has previously released past offerings under Bay Area labels ADD and Sooooo Intense, Decline of the Southern Gentleman is being put out on the Gainesville based label, No Idea! Records. With international distribution and a multitude of legendary punk acts that have released material under its title, such as Dillinger Four, Jawbreaker, Radon and Hot Water Music, signing with No Idea! makes a powerful statement.

"This release marks a giant step forward for The Tim Version, who have been playing together for nearly ten years and have at least eight releases under their belts that I am aware of. This Tampa based band has toured across the United States and has played shows in the UK and Japan as well. The usual crowd of boisterous drunk punks that follow The Tim Version should greatly enjoy this release. They typically seem to have a ton of fun on stage, and this notion is ever present within the record. Their friends adorn the album, providing backup vocals throughout as well as some playful goofing off on the last track. The band doesn't sound like they are tiring out any time soon and are obviously a well knit group. Who wouldn't be after so many years?

"Decline of the Southern Gentleman deserves the release it's getting and will hopefully start to provide the push The Tim Version needs to be recognized as a household name across the punk rock landscape both statewide and nationally."

- Lily Richeson
Reax

"This is one way I consider myself lucky: not taking The Tim Version for granted. Pound for pound, note for note, they're one of my favorite bands in existence. I'll be honest, I'm a busy dude, but when I was asked to write the one-sheet for this record and the liner notes for another collection within a week by two different people, it wasn't a question of doing it, it was a question of if I could do a good enough job. There's always the risk of douchebaggery writing how great a band is for the sole exercise of trying to convince people who've never heard of them to buy their record. Yet, I wanted to repay my debt to the band without the exchange of money. I've spent hundreds of hours listening to, writing along to, and flat-out feeling that my day got better by listening to Tim Version records—all of them—from their two previous full-lengths, to their split with Super Chinchilla Rescue Mission, to the country-soaked Floribraska 10". They could wrap themselves up in so many cheap flags of easy identification, but they don't. They're, at their core, just great dudes who play in what I think is a largely overlooked band. And I don't think they care about that. They all work hard (bartender for a bar located in front of a trailer park, an insurance estimator, a self-employed Ebay/Yahoo-er, and a rocket scientist) and examine life, death, and the living dead. They're a band who are operating equally on the three levels: of heart (there's a ton of compassion, even in their disgust and dismay), head (listening to the album is one thing, listening to it while reading the lyrics, adds a novel-like dimension mixed with razor-sharp political commentary), and body (there's no denying that all of these guys can play their instruments in Hacksaw Jim Duggan / Bob Stinston ways, not Yngwie Malmsteen / Blues Hammer ways)). It all leads to one conclusion: one of the best records of 2008."

- Todd Taylor
Razorcake

Just in case you're looking for something to listen to or wonder what it is I (Russ...the guy writing this) listen to all the time, I have started doing podcasting for Razorcake. The file is in .mp3 format and there are instructions for downloading on the page. Link followed by a playlist is posted below. I'll try and post these up here as they go up:

http://www.razorcake.org/site/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=13874&PHPSESSID=257589a0d0e06e08478b10c1b4d685da

The Arrivals 'I'm Sorry For Saying I'm Sorry' from Marvels Of Industry (Recess)
Gregory Isaacs 'Mr. Cop' from Reggae History (Kosmos)
Minutemen 'Sell Or Be Sold' from What Makes A Man Start Fires? (SST)
King Friday 'Lonnie' from Bread: The Edible Napkin (No Idea)
Dinosaur Jr. 'Feel The Pain' from Without A Sound (Sire)
Chuck Ragan 'It's What You Will' from The Blueprint Sessions (No Idea)
Watson 'Crack The Code' from Killing Momentum (ADD)
Future Virgins 'Followed to the Grave' from Self-titled (Plan-It-X South)
The Zombies 'Care Of Cell 44' from Odessey And Oracle (Repertoire)
Roky Erickson & The Aliens 'I Think Up Demons' from I Have Always Been Here Before: The Roky Erickson Anthology (Shout! Factory)
One Reason 'The End Never Mattered' from Self-titled (Salinas)
The Pogues "A Pair Of Brown Eyes" (Warner)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Down By The River" (Sire)

THE ARRIVALS: "Marvels of Industry" was my favorite record of 2007. There is nothing flashy about it that's gonna make you go "ooh aah". Instead, The Arrivals took the hard road and just made a straight ahead record that is really, really, really good. I was a casual fan of The Arrivals until I heard this record. After that, I turned "true believer". It was tough to pick just one song from this record to play, but in the end I figured it best to start where I did with Track 1. If you liked it, you would do well to order it from Recess.

GREGORY ISAACS: I don't know too much about Gregory Isaacs aside from his standing as reggae legend superstar, but I have this song on a reggae history/anthology type compilation and decided to play it.

MINUTEMEN: "Sell Or Be Sold" might be my favorite song on my favorite Minutemen record or, at least, a close second to "The Anchor".

KING FRIDAY: Specifically, the critically underrated band, King Friday, featured Jeff London and Andre Saraphini who went on to play in the critically underrated band, Fay Wray. This song and the two songs from the now out-of-print King Friday 7" are the only three songs I know of that they ever released. If you're a serious record nerd and a Radon fan, you might have also noticed that Jeff helped out with the lyrics for some of the classic Radon songs like "Wastin' Time" and "Grandma's Cootie".

DINOSAUR JR.: Can't say enough about Dinosaur Jr. I celebrate their entire catalog. I just got to see J Masics play acoustic at SXSW and decided some "Feel The Pain" was in order.

CHUCK RAGAN: Chuck has been playing on his own since Hot Water Music stalled out. His first full-length "Feast Or Famine" was a really amazing record, one of the best of the last year in my opinion, but I decided to play this version from the Blueprint Sessions (a compilation of the No Idea 7" singles club releases) because I think it showcases something that really gets lost in the shuffle of the digital age - the fact that one guy can sit in front of a couple microphones with an acoustic guitar and record a great song.

WATSON: Specifically, the Tampa-based Watson is Richie, Dave and Paul from the now-defunct Clairmel and Jeff from The Dukes Of Hillsborough. Their new record is called Chasing .500 and is available from ADD. Maybe it's easy for me to think they're that good because I get to see them all the time, but I can't help it.

FUTURE VIRGINS: Another one of my current favorites and as featured on the cover of Razorcake 41! I don't know all the ex-side-current band member details, but dudes from the bands Sexy, Jack Palance Band and Hidden Spots is a winning combination.

THE ZOMBIES: Perfect pop-rock brilliance from the late '60s.

ROKY ERICKSON & THE ALIENS: Roky is probably best known for his role as the singer for the 13th Floor Elevators, but I think his solo work blows all the 13th Floor Elevators stuff out of the water. The double disc compilation (I Have Always Been Here Before) from Shout! Factory is cool in that it is not only a great cross-section of everything he's done over the years, but it also approved by TrustRoky, indicative that sales of this release go towards caring for Roky's well-being.

ONE REASON: Incredible song by the Cleveland, MS band. More stuff available from Plan-It-X South.

THE POGUES: Happy St. Paddy's day.

NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE: I had to do this. I've been listening to Neil Young for a long time, but some reason, I'm totally obsessed with all the early Crazy Horse stuff right now. I think the guitar sounds on this record might be some of the best ever recorded and the solo here is pretty epic. One of the best records ever.