Contrary to what you might have heard on TMZ and Perez Hilton, we are not on a hiatus because of Dave’s Vitamin Water addiction (which I’m happy to report he has under control with the help of Camel Lights and Lone Star Beer).

We are working up to the release of our second album, Poltergeist which will be out either late this fall or in the early part of 2010.  We are also working on adding a fourth auxiliary player (not full member with health and dental benefits … but a rad dude who can play geetar and tickle the keys to cover all of my fuck ups).  Those of you who attended the show we played last week with Ben Kweller might have met him—his name is Chris Patin and he is the brilliant brain behind the Austin band The Calm Blue Sea.

Oh, and speaking of Ben Kweller … check out this awesome pic of us singing onstage with Ben during the last song of his set:



Over the next few months we will be laying low (at least locally) and focusing our energy on playing more out of town shows.  There will be no more headlining shows for a while, and we will be opting instead to play with locals we have been dying to play with and offer support for touring acts we love.

Austin, TX—you have been so sweet and wonderful to us for so long.  Now kindly fuck off and die while we conquer the world.

Love Always,

Franklin // Murdocks

Ben Kweller has just embarked on a short west-coast tour, the first (and only) west-coast dates in support of Changing Horses. But he couldn't wrap up touring for the album without one more special hometown show...



One of the last chances to see Ben Kweller with the Horses band will be June 27 at Emo's. To celebrate the occasion Ben asked Austin's Murdocks to open the show with an acoustic set. While acoustic shows are rare for the band, they couldn't turn down a personal request from Ben, especially when he described them as "one of my favorite bands." NYC Bluegrass band Jones Street Station are also on the bill, and will join Ben Kweller for the entire west coast tour.

Advance tickets are available now through ticketweb.com.

Details about the show:

Ben Kweller with Jones Street Station & Murdocks (special acoustic set)
Saturday, June 27 - Austin, TX - Emo's (oustide)
Doors at 8pm, Murdocks at 8:30pm
All ages
Tickets at ticketweb.com

So, I got a call yesterday from my old friend Ben Kweller. 

He said: "hey dude, I saw that video of you guys playing 'Happy Together' on your myspace and thought it would be cool to have the Murdocks open my Austin show with a stripped-down, acoustic set."

It isn't something we have done before, but how do you say no to an offer like that?

So mark your calendars.  A ONE-TIME-ONLY PERFORMANCE.  MURDOCKS Unplugged w/ Ben Kweller, Saturday June 27 @ Emo's Outside in Austin, TX.  Be there or we will punch your genitals off.

Franklin // Murdocks

Hey everyone,

It took us a year to get the videos up, but here are some videos from the show.  Comment and let us know what you think.

The SxSW 2009 Music Festival is officially dead and so are we (figuratively speaking of course).  I am drafting the following resolution to ensure smooth sailing in the future.


ARTICLE 1. No Murdock shall drop a carload of bricks on their foot moments before playing a show.

ARTICLE 2. No Murdock shall play any more than 4 shows in one day (exception made for Kyle Robarge)

ARTICLE 3. No Shirtless Murdock drummer shall encourage passerby to touch his body on a busy street corner in downtown Austin while he attempts to play songs.

ARTICLE 4. No Murdocks vocalist shall attempt to drink beer, scotch, vodka, jager, more beer, and smoke an entire pack of cigarettes in a single night ... then wake up and try to play a show the next day.  This liver aint what she used to be.


And so, to celebrate the death of SxSW, the return to the illusion of normalcy, and to test how many people actually read our blog posts I declare the following:

Anyone who wants free promo CDs of our new album, send us a myspace message with your mailing address RIGHT FUCKING NOW!
SORRY, YOU MISSED IT.  YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE.

I will only leave this offer up for a short while and the new album won't be out for another 6 months.  This may be your last chance to listen to our new songs on the compact disc medium for quite some time.

And now I close with my favorite picture from SxSW 2009.  The following is a picture of our show yesterday at Trailer Space Records, which we were lucky enough to have documented by acclaimed pulitzer prize winning photographer Alon Bernstein:


This piece will be on display in the PHONE CAM PHOTOGRAPHY Exhibition at the Blanton Museum this fall.

Thank you, and come again.

-MURDOCKS

Hey Guys and Dolls,

Here's some news for you ...

THE RECORD
It may have seemed like not a lot was going on the last few months, but behind the scenes we have been working ourselves to the bone.  As some of you may know, we started our second album last April with Erik "Waffle" Wofford over at Cacophony Recorders and just recently finished it.  Most who have heard it agree that it is our best effort to date -- catchier, heavier, and more rockin' than anything we have ever put to tape.

We will be releasing the album in the Fall of 2009, and right now we are working on putting together strong team of publicists, promoters, and agents to work the record.  We will be doing massive touring behind this album (it will put the Surrenderender tours to shame) so make sure to keep an eye out.

SxSW
The South by Southwest Music Festival is right around the corner, and this year you have 4 chances to catch us live.  Check our myspace profile for details ... and make sure to click each show as some need RSVPs to get in (but all will be open to the general public, have free admission, and generally free beer).

We will also be giving out free samplers of our new record at the SXSW shows ONLY!  You need to be there in person to get a copy.

Side Projects
If you ever wonder what a Murdock might do in his spare time, here is your answer.  Kyle has been playing bass in the indie / alt country band Frank Smith and the post-rock instrumental band The Calm Blue Sea.  Dave is spending his free time singing and playing guitar for Watch Out For Rockets.

But worry not children, Murdocks still takes center stage.  The state of our union is strong motherfuckers!

This will be a big year for us: a new album, touring, promotion, and so on.  Thanks so much to everyone who has supported us from Day one.  In return for your support, I give you a picture of Dave that I swore I would never post:




What's a promise anyway?

Franklin // Murdocks

1. Spend more time on the internet and less time exercising and reading

2. Bring our own beer on tour.

3. Release a new album

4.

5. Profit

Being number 10 sure beats being number 11.

Thanks Audra + AusChron!

-Murdocks

I mean really now guys. This is starting to get a little ridiculous...

Music For Robots (Los Angeles, CA)
"Sure, it's loud guitars and banging drums, but that's all window-dressing for the fantastic songs."
Full Review

A Limerick Ox
"Loud, gritty, straight-up, guitar-heavy power-pop (three hyphenated words in a row: RECORD!) accompanied by blistering vocals and an implacable disposition which cries out to our primal rock-out nerves, dripping with confidence and nervy goodness."Full Review

The Austin Chronicle (Austin, TX)
"An impressive response of raw riffage. Opener "Playhouse Down" rides anthemic la-la-las and hooky guitar, and it must be said that Murdocks write extremely catchy pop. The six tracks linger around three minutes each and are all riled up, save for sweet closer "Boy," which stretches out under guitarist Franklin Morris' gravel-howl pleas."
Full Review

Rock Sellout
"In true "more meat than potatoes" fashion, this stuff grabs me right by the balls and gains my undivided attention. It didn't require repeated listens…completely fuss free, it delivered the goods the first time around."
Full Review

The Daily Helmsman (Memphis, TN)
"The trio concocts a strange brew of indie and garage rock made saccharine with power-pop, but laced with strychnine lyrics like, "Her abortion like molasses slowing the hands of time."'
Full Review

Michigan Daily (Ann Arbor, MI)
"The Murdocks is a balls-to-the-wall concoction of Rancid-esque pop-punk energy with Shins-style delicate melodies. The Austin-based trio, led by singer/guitarist Franklin Morris, creates power-pop that alienates neither sweaty garage rockers sensitive basement-dwellers."
Full Review

What To Wear During Orange Alert (St. Charles, IL)
"Their new ep Roar! (Out April 1st, Surprise Truck) does just that, it roars with the excitement of pure rock n' roll."
Full Review

The Daily Campus - University of Connecticut
"Their music comes off with the energy of Brit-rock groups ... but it definitely has its roots in the garage rock/punk genre."
Full Review

Hot Biscuits
"I'm not real big on alt/punk/anything rock, but I can appreciate good production and an overall entertaining sound. It's refreshing to hear a singer who can actually hit the notes he's shooting for, and Franklin Morris does just that. "
Full Review

Shelley Hiam from the Austin Chronicle followed us around all day and wrote about the experience on her AustinChronicle.com Blog. Check it out:

Austin Chronicle - Get In The Van

There is also a photo gallery with lots of pictures from the show. Pictures like this one:





The show was a shitload of fun and the guys in Cake were really cool and friendly.