Greetings, rockers and rollers, and welcome to my first post. This blog is about live music (my love, my obsession), and the impressions which I bring home after a night of swillin', smokin' and rockin'. My name, dear reader, is EBOB (that's ee'bob), my location is Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, and my specialty is rock and roll music. So without any further Malarkey, let's get down to it!
OK, there were two shows this night, but I went to this one because it was later, and it was fucking hot this weekend. Barely Standing is an aptly named basement in an unevenly subsiding house. The dramatically slanting floor gives the spectator standing in this tiny basement room the illusion of tipping over, which when accompanied by several cans of cheap beer and lots of loud noise can very easily turn from illusion to reality.
Five bands tonight, two pairs of touring groups from different sides of this swell nation randomly converging together in this dingy rat hole for a night of hard core rock and roll savagery. First off was Novel, a local group who played a brief set in deference to their touring peers. I was just climbing out of the newly installed swimming pool when they started playing, so I missed the start of their set. However, the sound which drifted up through the vents to the second floor (and only) bathroom was reminiscent of some slowed down Black Sabbath / Melvins / Sleep sort of stoned rock and roll. This was confirmed as I made my way down to the basement for the last two of four songs by Novel. It was decent, not great, but certainly serviceable heavy guitar riffing, though nothing overtly memorable. Plenty of growling, groaning and screaming from the vocalist, but unfortunately, no singing or even yelling. The only word I recognized? : 'Satan'. Go figure. These guys should try to get an opening slot for the Boris show this fall. Anyway, Novel, keep on rockin, maybe try singing a little, and perhaps someday ye shall rule.
http://www.myspace.com/novelmilwaukee
Right. And now, a brief interlude of sentimentality: unpretentious punk rock rules, because there are no stupid, stinking rock stars. I have loved this ever since my first show, and I hope I always will. At this show, I was hanging out, shooting the shit with various local folks and members from all of the touring bands, and what's the difference between us? Nothing. Where are the barriers? Nowhere. In fact, touring musicians probably equalled local music lovers in number, and even though they came from bizarre, exotic locations like Tennesee and California, they were just part of the group, and not seperate or exalted in any way. I say this for the benefit of those who know not the world of independent, honest music, those poor souls who tell me "Yeah, I was at this concert, and I was only 50 yards away from [rock star]!! It was so amazing, and I only paid 30 bucks for the show! It was great!" For thee, I have pity.
Okay, our next musical treat was served up by none other than Wildildlife, from San Francisco, California, USA. So theses three long-haired freaky fellows tell me they use'ta be called Wildlife, but some sissy band that doesn't even tour threatened to sue them because they had the same name, so they had to make their name even cooler by adding more letters. Their first song was very good, and a few of the others impressed me with their originality, although there were just as many that bored me with their hardcore banality. My impression of their interesting set = a Black Sabbath 45 played at 33, on acid. They were rockin, yet slow, with some pretty killer hooks every now and again. However, I didn't hear anything super incredible heavy duty or nothin'.... That is until I popped their cassette EP into my trusty tape deck in my truck and re-heard the first song from that evening, in recorded form. COOL! Nice song; I like. Further into the cassette I encounter a totally unexpected.. JAM! What is this? Softcore?! Are they actually singing?!? Is this not laid back, atmospheric, and really good, though not far from rocking hard? Wow! So I pop their CDR album "SiX" into the boombox at work, and I am even further impressed by a really cool, and most of all original album. The band told me that the number '6' was very significant to them, in a wierd sort of way, and it is to myself as well, what with my b-day on 6/6 and all. And "SiX" has cool, Nick Blinko-esque artwork on the cover, to boot. Here it is: 7 songs in 70 minutes, with some truly excellent atmospheric chill outs (with vocals reminiscent of Dead Can Dance of all things), coupled with some chaotic, head crashing doomcore and solid rock and roll action that is more than just a little bit strange. I also clearly hear some Mr Bungle, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, and Butthole Surfers in here, along with a lot of originality. My favorite record from this show, hands down. Get it!http://www.myspace.com/wildildlife
Well now, by this time in the evening, I was becoming inebriated, and damn it, I was ready for a spectacle! And here I had it, delivered: The New Thrill Parade. Six weird lookin dudes from some ritzy sounding place called Santa Cruz, California, USA. I was talking to a couple of theses guys before the show, out on the front porch, and I asked 'em "So what do yuh think is the best band out o Californy these days?" And without hesitation, they turned to each other and said: "Us, dude! Yeah!" And slapped home some Five. Well, that may be a biased assessment, but perhaps it has some wee bit of merit. Presently they took to the floor of Barely Standing, and, well, the first thing I noticed was the dude kneeling on the floor in front with two upside down cymbals laid on the ground, and a gong (on a stand), who happened to be clad in only his skivvies. And his Grandmother's wig.
I learned the origin of said wig earlier, when he also showed me the bag full of his dead grandfather's liquor which they had just procured from his grandma's house in Illinois. I was at that time drinking some whiskey from that bag, which was mixed in with my beer (which I later splattered all over The New Thrill Parade). The next thing I noticed was their unique and interesting sound which assaulted my eardrums with a spastically pulsating deluge of whacked out retard rock n roll. I was amazed to hear the singer singing just like Jeb from locals Dear Astronaut in a sort of alto-warble. Speaking of altos, I was also, saddly, barely able to hear the musical expression of The New Thrill Parade's saxophone player, who had to stand off to the side and in the crowd in this stuffed basement.
This band instantly reminded me of The Deadbeats, from Los Angeles, California, USA about 30 years ago, and although they said they had never heard of the late great Deadbeats, I believe that perhaps they may be the rock and roll reincarnation of that legendary group. So, their show was super fun, and not just a little bit hilarious. It was the kind of chaotic and ridiculous rock and roll that I live for, and the band kept me rapt with their constant changes and unique approach to music. Their CD 'Universal Shame', however, was a tougher sell. Behind the phenominal cover art by David Frost is a difficult and original work of rock and roll insanity. I am currently listening to it for the third time, and I am just now adjusting to it's unique sound. The afformentioned vocals are mutable, interesting, and sometimes grating along with the insane music which bears a certain resemblance to acts like Arab On Radar, The Crucifucks, Mr Bungle, and who knows what other unknown crazy influences. Most of the album is spasmodically upbeat, with some areas of true rock awesomeness, while the very long last track sounds like a group of of heavily druggged psychotics who have been given instruments in one of Dr. Mengle's sick experiments.
Don't be mistaken, this is true art, but not for the weak of heart (or narrow of mind). I was pleasantly surprised to hear some blood curdling screams that sound exactly like Doc Corbin Dart on the track 'No Flowers'. I also picked up their 12" EP which has the most hilarious cover I've seen in a long time, though my turntable is currently out of order, so I've yet to rotate it. When I saw Modest Mouse a decade ago, I never would have thought they would go on to fame and fortune. Who knows what is in store for The New Thrill Parade....
http://www.myspace.com/newthrillparade
After that raucous display, what could we possibly have in store for the faithful legions of rock and roll worshippers? Why, none other than Sadville, bringing us a hardcore ass kicking from the home of the legendary Koro; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. This band was the most enjoyable for me this night. I was at that perfect stage of drunken bliss where I just needed to bang my head and fuckin thrash out to some killer hardcore, and Sadville did not dissapoint. They started with a long, spooky guitar intro that was sad and expectant and really cool sounding, and when it was done they busted into a killer short blast of fuckin hardcore that rocked. Sadville then proceeded to play several more songs which unfortunately sort of blended together, but which all had a certain power and intensity that only angry young Americans can make.
I have thought of this performance numerous times in the last few days, specifically because my face still hurts where it collided with the back of the head of the singer from Sadville whilst he was on his headbangin' upswing and I was on my downswing. Although this was certainly not the first time such a thing has happened to me, it was definately one of the more painful times, but since that guy had to keep on singin', I kept right on headbangin' to show my solidarity and appreciation of this very metallic hardcore. I only wonder if any one else heard the totally kick ass sound our skulls made as they collided full speed into one another. I hope they did, for I can stll hear (and feel) that excellent rock and roll moment when me and a complete stranger collided headlong in thrashin rock and roll bliss. Fuck Yeah.Ok, Sadville was somewhat generic, though certainly enthusiastic modern HC/Metal which was elevated above the masses by some really excellent guitar leads, and yes, melodies. They also played an FYP cover. I couldn't afford their LP with the awesome cover, so I got the CDR instead. Well, I think they try too hard to be HARD, honestly. Sort of dissapointing, really, but certainly not bad. It's just that, at this point I want to hear something unique, and unfortunately, aside from some killer guitar leads, this isn't very. The last song on this album is the best, though it is obviously from an older recording. It is not as heavy, but it is more raw, and... Real. Sadville, you rock. Keep it up, and don't forget to evolve.
http://www.myspace.com/sadville
Alllright, last and not quite least, we have the heavy metal stylings of Imp, also from Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, and comprised mostly of members of Sadville. Yes, this is metal. Think: Cryptic Slaughter, Celtic Frost (whom they covered convincingly [even though they were devoid of leather, spikes, and a hot bass payer chick]), and Slayer. Not bad, actually. They got tighter as they went through their set, although, as a three piece (G, D, V), I think they could benefit from a bass or another guitarist. The guitarist is the same guy who made all of those killer leads in Sadville, and I asked him "Which do you prefer? Hardcore, or Metal?". His response: "Metal." So, look out hardcore, here comes IMP.
http://www.myspace.com/impknoxville
OK, thank you for reading, this only took me about 4 hours to make, so you'd better goddamned like it. Tomorrow, you get to hear about the inimitable Brave Combo!
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