Blöthar. Beefcake the Mighty. Sexecutioner. To the uninitiated, these may seem like names from a twisted, perverted comic. To the Bohabs, or devotees to the band known as Gwar, well, you’re still not too far off. For three decades now, Gwar had been pushing the limits of musical outrageousness with their twisted music and their gore-filled live shows have become a thing of legend.
In recent years, one of their latest ventures has been the annual Gwar BQ in their hometown of Richmond, VA. Correction, adopted hometown, as they claim Antarctica as their home on Earth. The Gwar BQ has been picking up steam, as the annual event has grown bigger each year, and that was most apparent with this year’s lineup.
Three stages, featuring some of punk and metal’s heaviest hitters like Down, Clutch, the Descendants and Of course, Gwar themselves.
All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.
Tune in to Garden State Sound with Evan Toth to explore the diverse music with connections to New Jersey. You’ll hear in-depth interviews with some of Jersey’s best music makers and have the opportunity win tickets to some of the best concerts in the state.
“So, I watched Jersey Boys (2014) this week and it got me on a kind of Four Seasons/Frankie Valli kick. While Eastwood’s film wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be, it underscored another major characteristic of a Jerseyan: determination. Though the Four Seasons—in their original incarnation—are no longer touring, Frankie Valli is still out there pounding the pavement, and has been since the Four Seasons’ hey-day was well behind him.
Summer is almost over, but stay determined, folks. Considering the speed at which things go, next summer will be here before you know it.
In addition to all of this determination, we hear The Looking Glass, Brick + Mortar, Morningside Lane, Real Estate, Chris Barron, Melody Gardot, The Pine Barons, The Milwaukees, and—of course—the Boss. We also hear the brand newly released take of the Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love” as reimagined by Yo La Tengo.” —EZT
Jack Tempchin is a product of a time when songs were expected to tell stories, and the songwriters who were masters of storytelling were sought after as aggressively as any first-round quarterback.
Tempchin’s tunes have taken root in so many minds, and have lifted so many hearts in the decades since he wrote “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” and “Already Gone” for the Eagles. The prolific songwriter’s music continues to fill arenas and sell millions and millions of albums for others. It’s been all about the songs, not the man. Despite the fact that Tempchin performed his music to audiences around the world for years, and despite the fact that he’d written hits for (or with) musical luminaries like Emmylou Harris, Glen Campbell, Tanya Tucker, Tom Rush, George Jones, and Tom Waits, the limelight has always been elusive for Tempchin—as have record deals.
That all changed when he was approached by Blue Élan Records who offered him his first contract since Clive Davis’ Arista Records in the late ’70s. That sparked something in Tempchin, and a backlog of songs came pouring out. “I was so excited that somebody was going to care whether I recorded something or not,” Tempchin tells TVD in our chat with him. So many songs were unearthed and so many more were inspired by this label’s confidence that his two-record deal turned into a three-record deal, with no signs of stopping.
Tempchin released an EP, Room to Run, in May to tease his creative “explosion.” He followed it up with a thematic and poignant LP (released on Friday), Learning to Dance, which ishis first album of new studio recordings in over eight years. His enthusiasm is massive when it comes to songwriting, as evidenced both in the lovely new album and through his songwriting “inspiration campaign” at GoWriteOne.com.
“It’s impossible to overrate the importance of songs,” he says. There’s absolutely no argument from us.
When you performed at The Troubadour in May, was that the first time you’d played all this new music live?
Yes! I hadn’t done any of those songs, and it was the first time I’d performed without playing guitar, too. [Laughs] This album was produced so differently, that I didn’t think about having to do the stuff live until I finished the album. And it turns out I couldn’t—I needed a whole band to pull it off. I rehearsed for quite a while with those guys because it was a first for me, standing up there and playing without doing my guitar.
Of course the second half of the show, I was doing my hits—stuff I had done before. Being back at The Troubadour and having all those people there… it was great to be there again.
When was the last time you’d played there?
Oh, let’s see… it was about five or six years ago when Timothy B. Schmit had a solo album that he was promoting, and I opened the show for him, just by myself at The Troubadour, and that was pretty great.
You know, I’ve known Paul for… we wrote a song together many, many years ago and we’re still workin’ on it. [Laughs] Man, he’s done so well. He’s so cool. That was a good article—thank you!
Every Captain Beefheart fan knows that his releases Unconditionally Guaranteed and Bluejeans & Moonbeams marked the nadir of his career. Desperate attempts at commercial success, both LPs met with critical opprobrium and horrified the good Captain’s fans. Even Beefheart, aka Don Van Vliet, his critical cred in ruins, come to regret them; he labeled them “horrible and vulgar” and urged fans to take them back for a refund.
Remember that ’60s TV show Branded starring Chuck Connors, who played a soldier in the Wild West? Who, wrongly convicted of some crime, had his shoulder epaulettes ripped off and his sword broken in half during the opening credits, which ended with him standing stoically outside the closed fort gates, facing the grim prospects of surviving in the savage wilderness the best he could? Well that’s what happened with these albums. They were branded, given the bum’s rush, and left shivering in the rock wilderness, while Beefheart fans tried their level best to forget them.
But nothing attracts me like a spectacular disaster, which is why I’ve watched every Irwin Allen film like 38 times. So I was eager to listen to Bluejeans & Moonbeams, which is generally considered a bigger fiasco than Unconditionally Guaranteed, or the Titanic even, because Beefheart’s Magic Band fired him in disgust after Unconditionally Guaranteed, leaving him to round up a whole new Magic Band that was around only for Bluejeans & Moonbeams. What’s more, the untaught Beefheart, who had always counted on a musical director to realize the sounds he heard in his head, was forced to do without one on Bluejeans & Moonbeams. And finally, he was still seeking commercial success, which entailed his curtailing many of the quirks and idiosyncrasies that made his music so intriguing in the first place.
Press Play is our Monday recap of the new—and FREE—tracks received last week, provided here to inform your next trip to your local indie record store. Click, preview, download, purchase.
Nairobi Record Store Links to East Africa’s Musical Past: “A dusty music store in downtown Nairobi was once the hotspot for East African musicians recording music with influences from across the region. While the shop suffered with the introduction of CDs and MP3s, a renewed interest in vinyl records is bringing back the music and the customers.”
News Greater Manchester News Trafford: Record shop forced to close as independent shops struggle to survive in Altrincham. “Adam Masters has closed South City Music ‘with a heavy heart’ after three years. The shop – which sells vinyl, guitars and instruments – has been graced by pop royalty such as Johnny Marr, Oasis and The Charlatans over the years.
New record store recruited to OTR neighborhood: “The resurgence in vinyl records is not really a new thing but when it helps with the resurgence of a neighborhood, it is. The store “Black Plastic Vinyl” has sold records in Northside for the last three years. Now it’s expanding to Over-The-Rhine. If people need to replace their worn-out “Dark Side of the Moon” album, it’s the place to shop; Black Plastic is kicking off their new place with a party Thursday night, August 20.”
Toronto’s vinyl cafe now has booze and pinball too: “What used to be a record store, art space and cafe is now all that plus a bar with a nice selection of Ontario craft brews. An improved food menu (now with Sunday brunch) and a pinball machine make the space all the more sweet. Vinyl, coffee, good eats and beer (did I mention pinball?) – what more could one want out of a shop?”
Top 5 Unexpected Materials used to make Vinyl Records: With Vinyls making a come back, we take a look at some rad experiments with musical materials (Ed. note: never say “vinyls.” It’s incorrect.)
They come, they go—every 6 months or so it seems, leaving an indelible mark at TVD and on their own careers. Some depart to labels. Some are drafted by PR firms. Hell, some even stay on as TVD editors from their own home city—they’re just that good.
Fall 2015 looms and we still have a handful of internship openings for Autumn and even into Spring 2016. We’re seeking bright, self motivated, articulate future music industry professionals to join our team on the content side and the marketing and social media outreach that informs the day to day at TVD. Also, candidates need not be in Washington, DC where we’re based to be considered—just be awake when we are.
Interested? Drop us an email introducing yourself.
It was back to school this week in the Canyon. Yep, believe it or not the LA school district has the kids back at it on August 18th. Our guy, Jonah hit 2nd grade and isn’t looking back.
I could never imagine going back to class before Labor Day. The last couple of weeks in August is dreamy back east. I guess, this summer, I’ve been thinking a lot about summer. Fuck, it’s not that I’m lazy…I just get a bit tired.
Indeed this past couple of weeks I’ve had my fair dose of days by the sea, happily “hooked” music, family, and yeah—fishing too. This week my focus was to “rock on.” I’ve putting together a playlist featuring “bits of all that’s been cool these last couple of weeks.” New songs from Beach House, Lana Del Rey, Health, La Luz, Deerhunter, Ultimate Painting, Frank Carter, and my young pals The Garden, mixed with a few “favorite things.”
Grace Potter pretty much has it all; the voice, the songs, the band, the fans, and most importantly the live show. Watching an artist of this magnitude completely own a stage and truly captivate an audience from start to finish is a rare thing these days and she makes it look effortless.
Touring in support of her latest record simply called Midnight, Grace Potter has left what she calls “safety net” of the Nocturnals and has gone her own way. The historic Fox Theater was the perfect venue for Potter to come out swinging the day after the release of what is technically her first solo record in more than decade.
Midnight noticeably has more of a pop sound to it and rightfully so, as producer extraordinaire Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, Nickel Creek, T-Ride) took control of the board while polishing up her timeless, soulful sound.
With an EP title like “Winter” and a track listing that includes “I’m Sorry” and “My Song,” you’d be forgiven for allowing your first impressions to lead you to “this is going be a downer, isn’t it?”
Thankfully, while not exactly a sparkling ray of sunshine, James Mackenzie’s EP is actually quite an upbeat listen. The guitarist and singer has put together four gorgeous, introspective tracks that are mostly just James’ voice and guitar, but when his backing line do come in, it’s usually in a euphoric burst, especially in the EP’s first track “Maybe”—check out the video.
“My Song” has a hint of Noel Gallagher’s soulful delivery about it, especially with the production on the vocals, and bright and full open chords and subtle strings driving the song forward. “I’m Sorry” is a love song with an (ever so slight) piano bar feel to it, while EP closer “It’s All Good” gently brings us back down to earth—before James opens up his soul and gives us a primal scream from the heart.
“One of my father’s first jobs out of high school was at a legendary rock club in New Orleans called The Warehouse. Bands showed up early to sound check, and it was my dad’s job to take them out on the town until show time. He’s full of great stories about shooting pool with Bruce Springsteen, teaching Cat Stevens to throw a frisbee, crazy stuff like that. My dad’s not a big talker so it’s taken me all my life to wrench these stories out of him; I was 31 before I ever heard he toured with Bruce Springsteen.”
“Growing up, there were unspoken but visible divisions in our family’s record collection—bands we celebrated endlessly whose records we played on repeat, and then over in a dark creepy corner there were a few records we just weren’t really…..”encouraged” to put on. Eventually I figured out this pile was kinda like a graveyard of asshole musicians, a stack of bands who’d been unsavory toward my very sweet father back when he worked at The Warehouse. It was a silent lesson my dad taught me, but a strong one: the music you put into your ears should be made by good people and good people only, with something important to say.
Having two parents from New Orleans, you’re destined to be raised on some classic RnB and zydeco—lots of NOLA names like Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, Buckwheat Zydeco—these were all on heavy rotation at the house. Other blues records like Bessie Smith “The Empress” were prominent in the collection. In the mid ’90s, my mom wrote her dissertation on racism against Algerian immigrants in France and how it was shaping french hip hop—she’d go to France and bring home a bunch of french hip hop records for me. I specifically remember a double LP soundtrack to the film Ma 6-T Va Cracker—that opened me up to political hip hop as a young person, and has stuck with me since.
Not quite a “UK” vinyl video, but just a damn good video that needs a little love here on The Vinyl District.
Strange & Primitive hail from Canada and although their self-titled debut album is out soon in North America, it’s getting a UK release of this November. The album pulls on dark ’80s influences filtered through a modern lens in the band’s own unique style.
“Difficulties Be Damned” is their third single following “Eureka” and “That Big City Glow.” The single features a heavy tribal beat played hypnotically over their signature synth style. The video was directed by Malcolm Sutherland and feels more like an animated short film telling the strange tale of odd discoveries in a jungle setting. It’s wild, colourful, and imaginative, reflecting the song itself.
The track is available as a free download now on the band’s Soundcloud page and the album sees its UK release on 20th November 2015.
Austin, Texas: Where you can’t fire off a six-shooter without hitting some manner of rockabilly genius, half-mad, Listerine-chugging singer-songwriter, displaced Englishman, or, if you’re really lucky, just some drummer. Austin has depths—unacknowledged musical geniuses skulk about its streets, drunk or sober, hopeless or hopeful, stubborn to the point of absurdity or about ready to throw in the towel.
One of its premiere unacknowledged geniuses is Michael Hall. He began his career with the Wild Seeds, then went off on his own to write great songs that tell wonderful stories, stories like “Put Down That Pig” that are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Take “America” off his 2006 LP, The Song He Was Listening to When He Died. It’s a defiant song about taking pride, not in America the nation, but America the band, and it includes such wonderful lines as, “They rode the Ventura Highway/They rode the horse with no name/They rode Sister Golden Hair/All three of them at one time.” I’ll be damned if “America” isn’t Randy Newman good, and I can’t pay a songwriter a higher compliment.
It’s tough to pick a favorite LP with Hall, but I lean towards 1992’s Love Is Murder. It’s filled with weird and wonderful story-telling songs, beginning with the deadpan “Let’s Take Some Drugs and Drive Around.” Accompanied only by a piano, Hall sings lugubriously about cruising aimlessly; he certainly doesn’t make it sound like that much fun. A rough harmonica breaks things up, before Hall repeats “Drive around, drive around” until the song ends. “What Did They Do With the President’s Brain?” is a JFK conspiracy theorist’s dream and mines Warren Zevon territory; set to a rollicking rock beat, Hall name drops Allen Dulles, wonders what happened to the real murder weapon (they ended up in a pawn shop in Dien Bien Phu), and sings, “Look out here he comes/There he goes/The President of the United States with bullet holes.” He blames the CIA, who “tore up the streets of Camelot,” but it’s highly unlikely he’s in earnest; not with those lines about George Bush “kissing a tramp up on the roof.”
Music Regram: Lucero Hand-Number Limited Edition “Bootleg Vinyl”: “The band noted that each jacket is individually stamped and numbered. The “bootleg” also contains an LP pressed from a random combination of colors, making each package truly unique. One of a kind and custom? Cool! See, not everything in 2015 needs to be digital, now does it?”
Vinyl Records continue to be a part of Modern day life, but why? “From the release of iPods in 2001 to the music streaming service Spotify in 2008 which has had a tremendous increase of interest over the years and also taken over how people listen to music today. With this in mind and with how technology is evolving each year you would think that record players would be none existent but this is not the case.”
Mom-and-pop store offers vinyl, CDs: “Martha Hull and Bob Berberich describe themselves as veterans of the Washington music community whose interest in music propelled them to open Vinyl Acres, a brick-and-mortar business that was not a spare-time endeavor.”
Imagine a world filled with portable record players: ““The Rawman 3000 produces such a big, rich sound, that it only can be compared to a very elaborate and expensive component stereo record player system. Yet, it´s so small that you can take it anywhere you go.” German design agency Rocket & Wink have teased a range of portable record players that seem to good to be true. Don’t get your hopes up though, these players won’t be hitting the market anytime soon.”
Your Tunes 2015: Online music vs. vintage Vinyl: Quality-wise, what’s most popular and why. Popularity-wise, what’s most popular and why. And where do you stand?
Mondo’s making more than posters, and it’s alienating fans: “When Mondo made its first forays into issuing vinyl soundtracks, it started with very small projects, like the 2012 remake of slasher film Maniac and cult Italian horror film The Beyond. There’s a conscious effort to make the album art as high-quality as the prints…”
Eclectic and rare finds at Collingswood record store: “… Inner Groove Records, new to Collingswood’s Haddon Avenue, carries the weird, the rare, the offbeat. His inventory — nearly all vinyl — includes blues, jazz, rock, psychedelia, reggae, folk, even avant garde (where the Leonard Nimoy and Marlene Dietrich albums are filed).”
PHOTOS: JULIA LOFSTRAND | Grace Potter sauntered on stage in hot pants and a sparkly cape, strapped with a flying V—the very embodiment of a rockstar.
We spent Grace Potter’s record release day with the woman herself, celebrating her ascent as the queen of modern disco with her new album, Midnight. Potter’s debut solo record displays her finely tuned skill for songcraft and places a pop sheen atop her rock and Americana gumbo.
Grace’s live show is also a reflection of someone who is a true master of her craft. The woman has been touring for 10 years which has made her a performer who melts both minds and hearts. She’s explosive and there is no greater feeling and nothing more contagious than seeing her lost in the music—the moment where the spirit takes over. Grace had many of these moments throughout the show at the Fonda Theatre last Friday evening which spread to her adoring crowd, inducing dancing, shaking and complete abandon.
All jokes aside, New Jersey is a pretty great place. While it has a lot to offer as a state, it also has a rich musical history of which many people remain unaware. Everyone knows Sinatra and The Boss, but there’s much more.
