Wednesday, February 24, 2010

GORILLA BISCUITS/QUICKSAND/RIVAL SCHOOLS FRONTMAN WALTER SCHREIFELS GOES ACOUSTIC ON NEW ALBUM

For well over 20 years, Walter Schreifels has been on the forefront of loud, fast and heavy music since his emergence as the guitarist for such legendary Long Island hardcore groups as Gorilla Biscuits and Youth of Today in the 80s through to his groundbreaking explorations into innovative heavy alternative in the 90s as the frontman for Quicksand right up to his work with Rival Schools and the Smiths-inspired Walking Concert in the 00s.

For the new decade, Schreifels showcases yet another new avenue for his talent with the release of his first proper solo album, a predominantly acoustic affair entitled An Open Letter to the Scene. Scheduled for release on May 4th via the Academy Fight Song imprint, the album will feature a stripped-down cover of NYHC buddies Agnostic Front's anthem "Society Suckers" and a tune entitled "The Ballad of Lil' Kim".

Check out the first single, "Arthur Lee's Lullaby", by right clicking here.

And to get a better feel for what a Walter Schreifels acoustic album will sound like, check this out.

Thank you. -Ed.


Video for "Arthur Lee's Lullaby":

Walter Schreifels — Arthur Lee's Lullaby from The Town Pump on Vimeo.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

JAY ELECTRONICA IS THE REAL


I slept on this cat for far too long, but New Orleans' Jay Electronica is a pretty good reason to start liking hip-hop again. Otherwise known as Erykah Badu's new babydaddy, this producer/MC has already gained serious attention due to his outstanding production work on Nas' Nigger album as well as his 15-minute remix (or, rather, re-envisioning) of Jon Brion's score to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Jay is in the process of recording his official debut album on Badu's new label Control FreaQ Records. But in the meantime, head on over to the great site Dat Piff to download a copy of DJ Furious Styles' killer mixtape of Jay Electronica music, entitled Victory.

You'll be glad ya did. -Ed.

Jay Electronica performing at London's Jazz Cafe in Feb. 2010:

Friday, February 19, 2010

A lesson in rebellion

If I learned one thing from reading Newave! The Underground Mini Comix of the 80s is that the medium of the mini comic is one of the purest, cheapest and uncompromising forms of DIY culture there is.. Or was.. the Internet has made the art form a bit archaic. Many of the artists featured in this collection were influenced by a mix of punk rock, dada, the 60s underground comics of Crumb and his ilk and as a response to the oppressive policies of the Reagan administration. They were cheap to make and copy and quickly put together. The result is an almost stream of consciousness surrealism who's mere existence is rebellion. This is a child's first go at dirty drawings sprinkled with cynicism and experience. This book does a great job of collecting some of the best examples and putting them into historical perspective with interviews of the creators. This is a great introduction to and underground scene almost lost to the march of time and technology.- Brad Filicky

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

CHARLIE WATTS SPEAKS!


Check out this amazing interview with Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, which appears in the March 2010 issue of Details. Could be the best interview the notoriously press-shy Watts has ever given in 45 years outside of his 1993 chat with Bob Costas.

And can someone please reissue Watts' amazing big band material already? His Charlie Parker tribute album, From One Charlie, is going for buku bucks on Amazon and eBay and I'd really like to get a copy at a reasonable price. Thank you.

Also keep an eye out for the forthcoming deluxe reissue of the Stones' 1972 masterpiece Exile on Main St., due out later this year. -Ed.

Charlie Watts in 1973:

HEAR FIRST SINGLE FROM FORTHCOMING METH-GHOST-RAE COLLABO, COVER REVEALED FOR FORTHCOMING ALBUM


The forthcoming album from the Wu-Tang Clan's three-headed rhyme monster will be out later this year and is called Wu Massacre. Peep it!

“Our Dreams” Stream: http://defj.am/ourdreams

“Our Dreams” iTunes Purchase: http://defj.am/mrgodit

CAP'N JAZZ REUNION IS ON

cj
Cap'n Jazz

Jade Tree is thrilled to announce that one of its most influential and popular titles, Cap'n Jazz's seminal discography Analphabetapolothology, will be released on vinyl for the very first time on June 15th. A little over ten years have passed since the original CD release and we are proud to give the record the proper proper full featured vinyl issue that it deserves. As Cap'n Jazz has grown in popularity, so has the demand for the anthology on vinyl and we are more than happy to combine our efforts to put together a package well worth the wait.

The Analphabetapolothology double LP will be packaged in a deluxe gatefold album jacket with plenty of bonus material not included with the original CD release, including never before seen photos, show fliers, and new liner notes by Tim Kinsella. Further details and pre-order info for the release are to be announced.

There is more. As you may have heard, Cap'n Jazz played a short surprise set in January. Well, the show went so well that the band has decided to reunite again, starting at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago on July 17th with select dates soon to follow. This summer will be your one chance to see Cap'n Jazz live. We'll see you there!

***

The Story
With only one full-length album to their name alongside a handful of singles and compilation tracks, Cap'n Jazz left a longstanding impression and irrefutable influence on the region's bohemian punk scene and unwittingly spawned a breeding ground for future scene stars such as the Promise Ring and Joan Of Arc. Traces of their sonic fingerprint permeate hundreds of indie records released in their wake.


Related Artists

Joan Of Arc
Owls
The Promise Ring
Owen
Maritime
American Football
Ghosts & Vodka


CAP'N JAZZ


07/17 Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge

Buy Tickets here


CJ

Cap'n Jazz
Analphabetapolothology
(Jade Tree)
Street Date: June 15, 2010

Format: Vinyl

Track Listing:

1. Little League
2. Oh Messy Life
3. Puddle Splashers
4. Flashpoint: Catheter
5. In the Clear
6. Yes, I Am Talking To You
7. Basils Kite
8. Bluegrassish
9. Planet Shhh
10. The Sands Have Turned Purple
11. Precious
12. Que Suerte!
13. Take On Me
14. Tokyo
15. Ooh Do I Love You
16. Hey Ma, Do I Hafta Choke On These
17. Forget Who We Are
18. Olerud
19. We Are Scientists!
20. Sea Tea
21. Troubled By Insects
22. Rocky Rococo
23. AOK
24. Sergio Valente

Bonus Downloads:

25. In the Clear
26. Soria
27. No Use For A Piano Player When You Got A Player Piano
28. Scary Kids Scaring Kids
29. Bluegrass
30. Winter Wonderland
31. Geheim
32. Easy Driver
33. Theme to 90210
34. Ooh Do I love You


CAP'N JAZZ LINKS:

Label Page - http://www.jadetree.com/bands/artist/cap%27n_jazz

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Capn-Jazz/53927572550

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Christopher Cross Pays Tribute to Earl Campbell

Unlovable


I'll be the first to admit that as a straight 30-something male I might not be the audience for a book like Unlovable, yet I can't help but be moved by the misadventures of Tammy Pierce. I may not understand, but I can accept, that being a teenage girl is rough stuff and Unlovable brings all the trials and tribulations of the American teen into a horrifying yet funny light. Unlovable is a graphic novel translation of a diary found in a rest stop bathroom in 1995. The action described happened in the 80s. As much of a time capsule as it is, this book is universal. No matter what decade we went through our teens in we've all felt like Tammy at some point.. Unlovable. Funny, tragic, hopeful, depressing and everything in between, This is a book that will help us all realize that being a teenager was traumatizing, but not all that bad.
- Brad Filicky

Monday, February 8, 2010

Up In the Air



Although it didn't make my top 10, Up In the Air had an effect on me. The sterile atmosphere of airplanes and airports as well as the plight of the unemployed was both a fitting metaphor and a scary personal reminder of both emotional detachment and the perils of the economic crash. I have been unemployed myself for almost 5 months now, but I am managing to keep it together as are the millions of others in my shoes. The worries expressed by the characters getting fired in Up In the Air have gone through my head. It was a small comfort to see them expressed on film. The emotional component was a little more troubling. Do we need personal connections to feel complete or can we be happy going alone, blazing a trail while being a ghost to others. I guess in the end it is a personal choice.. I'll leave you with two quotes from the movie..

"How much does your life weigh? Imagine for a second that you're carrying a backpack. I want you to pack it with all the stuff that you have in your life... you start with the little things. The shelves, the drawers, the knickknacks, then you start adding larger stuff. Clothes, tabletop appliances, lamps, your TV... the backpack should be getting pretty heavy now. You go bigger. Your couch, your car, your home... I want you to stuff it all into that backpack. Now I want you to fill it with people. Start with casual acquaintances, friends of friends, folks around the office... and then you move into the people you trust with your most intimate secrets. Your brothers, your sisters, your children, your parents and finally your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend. You get them into that backpack, feel the weight of that bag. Make no mistake your relationships are the heaviest components in your life. All those negotiations and arguments and secrets, the compromises. The slower we move the faster we die. Make no mistake, moving is living. Some animals were meant to carry each other to live symbiotically over a lifetime. Star crossed lovers, monogamous swans. We are not swans. We are sharks."

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

El-P Puts Defintive Jux On Hiatus



Just got this from El-P's publicist and wanted to post it right away. Looks like the NYC underground great, after a solid ten years, is putting his influential hip-hop label, Definitive Jux, on hiatus in order to dedicate himself full-time to his own musical endeavors, according to this post on the Def Jux Web site, which is also featured below.

OF HOOPTYS AND HOVERCRAFTS

Posted on 02/03/2010

Dear Inter-web, fans, friends and JUX family:

People keep asking me what's up with JUX. There's been some talk, there have been some rumors. Some half true, some way off. Reports of our demise have been mildly exaggerated. Here's what it really all boils down to: (read on)

This year, a decade after starting DEF JUX and after overseeing the releases of some incredible albums including the forthcoming release of my dear late and great friend Camu Tao's brilliant "KING OF HEARTS" LP, I'm stepping away from my duties as artistic director for the label to concentrate on what I love most: being a producer and an artist full time. This is something I've been contemplating for a few years now, and can't think of a better time or, with the eventual release of Camu's record, a more poetic way to transition into a new direction.

This means change for JUX. Of course we'll still have our website, we will still sell our catalog, merch and more as well as bring you news and updates on all our projects and artists. We will be releasing "KING OF HEARTS", a DEF JUX remix compilation, a 10 year anniversary retrospective and some other goodies. But then as a traditional record label DEF JUX will effectively be put on hiatus. We are not closing, but we are changing. The process is already underway, and the last several months (for those wondering what the hell we've been up to) have been spent dealing with the technical aspects of wrapping up the label in it's current form and re-imagining our collective and individual futures.

In 2000 starting a traditional record label made a lot of sense. But now, in 2010, less so and I find myself yearning for something else to put my energy into. I also see newer, smarter, more interesting things on the horizon for the way art and commerce intersect, and as an artist and an entrepreneur, I'm eager to see them unfold. The evolution of this industry is, in my opinion, exciting, inevitable and it would be nice to see the DEFINITIVE JUX brand be a part of it. In other words, maybe we can turn this hoopty in to a hovercraft.

All business aside, and regardless of what form JUX may inevitably take, my focus for the immediate future is going to be back-to-basics. The fun stuff: sitting in the studio and immersing myself in music, performing it for for my fans when the time comes and whatever (or wherever) else might be out there creatively for me. Thats how it all started and that's how the next phase will begin. The days of me dedicating the majority of my time and energy into providing JUX with a constant stream of physical releases from multiple artists are on hold for the time being. My heart (and what little common sense I possess) is telling me to simplify my focus and it has always been my policy to listen to my heart.

Truly, DEF JUX has been amazing to be a part of. So many good people. So much fun. I feel very lucky to be friends and collaborators with people who have affected and continue to affect my life and work deeply and indelibly. Working with the likes of Amaechi Uzoigwe, Jesse Ferguson, Jason Drake, and Katy Eustis at JUX as well as allies like Kathryn Frazier (biz3), Michael Bull and Lisa Socransky-Austin (to name only a few) has been incredible. These are people who worked for generally meager wages because they loved what they did and they believed in the artists and the idea of DEF JUX. Anyone would be lucky to have worked with even one person as dedicated and passionate as all of them are. They are true champions of indie music and they (and too many others to mention here) have my gratitude and loyalty forever.

None of it would have existed, though, if not for the artists. Artists who rolled the dice on us the same way we did on them, and were there with us as we battled it all out. CAMU, MR LIF, AESOP ROCK, MURS, CAGE, ROB SONIC, HANGAR 18, CHIN CHIN, CANNIBAL OX, THE PERCEPTIONISTS, RJD2, DESPOT, SA SMASH, YAK BALLZ, CRAYZ, THE MIGHTY UNDERDOGS, DIZZEE RASCAL, DEL, P.F.A.C, ACTIVATOR, COOL CALM PETE ... the list goes on. I consider them all geniuses at what they do. Every victory that they have had and will have will always feel like a victory for myself and all of us at JUX. It's been a joy to create and even struggle with them all. It has not always been easy, but it's almost always been fulfilling. I only hope the work we put in together helped build a path to their collective futures. They have my sincerest well wishes and genuine respect.

Lastly and most importantly are the fans... holy shit THE FANS! Our fans are no joke. I can't tell you how humbled I am to have felt the love and respect that they have shown us all. Even when we did things they didn't like, they stuck around. This was their label as much as ours. We answered to them, and yet they respected that we did what we loved, nothing more and nothing less. We always will. You are why we do any of this, and I'll never be able to express how much your support means to all of us. I think I speak for all of us Jukies when I say I love making music for you and can't wait to make more.

Until then, on behalf of everyone here at JUX and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

EL-P
Founder/Artistic Director/Recording Artist
DEFINITIVE JUX

Monday, February 1, 2010

The Only Ones' "Another Girl Another Planet"

Shout to Lefsky and Greak at Jack's Rhythms in New Paltz for putting me onto The Only Ones a little later in life than I had hoped last week by coaxing me into purchasing their 1979 new wave gem Special View. Please enjoy this video for that album's hit "Another Girl Another Planet", famously covered by The Replacements. -Ed.