Muck And The Mires - Greetings from Muckingham Palace

Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts MUCK & THE MIRES (Muck: Vocals and guitar), John Quincy Mire (Bass), Jessie Best (Drums) and Pedro Mire (Lead Guitar) are playing their unique brand of Garage Rock since 20 years now and they have albums produced KIM FOWLEY and JIM DIAMOND.

Their latest full length, "Greetings from Muckingham Palace" again produced by Jim Diamond has been recently released on DIRTY WATER and it is probably their best stuff so far.

So it was time for yours truly who is a fan of the band since day one and beyond to have a very interesting talk with Evan Shore (aka Muck)

1) For the sake of the argument, let's say that a very young viewer stumbles upon this blog for the first time and doesn't know who Muck And The Mires are: what would you tell him about the band to introduce the various members and also your body of work? 

I’d  say “Where have you been man?!  We’ve been touring all over the world for like 20 years!” After shaming them, I’d proceed to let them know “Muck and the Mires have taken what the Beatles were doing at the Star Club in Hamburg and transported it to the stage of CBGBs. We’ve released 110 songs. Google us”  Cause the one benefit of naming your band  “Muck and the Mires” is you are guaranteed to be the first thing that comes up in a Google search.

2)  About the newly released album, "Greetings from Muckingham Palace",  what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? What was Jim Diamond input in this recording?

We always record the band live and then overdub vocals and any additional tracks. It’s one of things that attracted us to Jim Diamond as this was his preferred method of recording. We’re a tight, loud rockin’ outfit and it's much harder to capture that energy when we are not all playing in the same room.  The pandemic forced us to make some concessions when we  recorded our  EP “Take Me Back To Planet Earth” earlier this year, but Muckingham Palace was recorded before the pandemic and, after several delays, has now finally been released. We used to record at Jim’s legendary Ghetto Recorders studio in Detroit, but since it had closed, and Jim was living in France, it was more cost effective to fly him to Boston then for four of us to fly to France or try to cram in a recording session in the middle of a tour.  And as a bonus, Jim got to experience one of our famous Nor’easter snow storms. We got  stuck together in the studio for the entire weekend and never got show him around town.

3)As far as the recordings of this latest album are concerned, did you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you still keep on working with analog machines in analog studios?

Both. We recorded the live band to 16-track tape and then transferred to digital for the overdubs. The best of both worlds! We rehearsed quite a bit for the sessions because there is little room for error when recording to tape. And there was not a lot of tape; the supply had run dry at the time and we had to use a reel of used tape for the session. 

4) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

Love songs are always the easiest  which is probably why there are so many out there. Just look at how many times people rhyme  “heart” and “apart”, or my pet peeve, “girl” and “world” which don’t even rhyme. We’ve got quite a few songs that cover the topic, but we always try to put some effort  into our lyrics whether it's the juxtaposition of  of soon/late in  “Too soon to fall in love, too late to turn back now”  or using inside rhymes inspired by the great songwriters of the 20's and 30's. And while several of the songs on the new record are about girls,  I am not sure that  “Mint Condition” or “Messed Up Mary “ can really be classified as love songs. I don’t  see anyone picking  those as their wedding song. Although “Sunny Feeling” might make a good wedding song. It's a lot better than that stupid Ed Sheeran tune everyone was getting married to a couple of years ago.

5) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

That’s easy. The Crickets, The Beatles and The Ramones. 

6) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the LP?? 

Yes. We’ve gone a little video crazy during the pandemic. Since we are unable to tour, we decided the best way for us to be seen was to create music videos. We’ve done videos for  half of the songs on the album; “Too Soon To Fall In Love”, “Cupid’s Not a Friend of Mine”,  I’m Your Man”, “Strange Waves”, “Break It All” and “Sunny Feeling”.

7) Are there any artists in The USA today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?

I don’t hear anything that sounds close to us on US radio. But  we live close by to Aerosmith, The Barbarians and the band Boston!

8) You Started out with the Voodoo Dolls in the early nineties. Do you think it was easier to be in a
rock'n'roll band way back in the 90's than it is now?

Well it depends on how you define “easier”.Looking back, the 90's was probably the beginning of the end in terms of achieving mainstream success playing rock music. But that doesn’t mean it was easier being in a band. No GPS or cell phones made finding the venue impossible. You had to physically mail cassettes to venues and then try to get someone live on the phone to get a gig. I remember the first time the Voodoo Dolls opened for The Ramones at the old Channel night club in Boston. Johnny Ramone (who I was friends with) got us the gig, but we still had to call the venue to get the soundcheck and load in info. But every time I called, the booking agent was on the other line. On my fifth try, the dude grabs the phone from his assistant and says “If you call here one more time you are OFF the show!” and hung up on me.  So we ended up showing up at the club at like 11AM because we didn’t know what time to be there and didn’t want to miss sound check for the 3,000+  capacity show.  The other difference about the 90's versus nowadays is that bands today will  typically share their gear, and some venues even provide back line. But back in the 90’s everyone was playing out of gigantic Marshall stacks and big drum sets and SVT bass rigs and nobody shared their gear with the other bands on the bill. If it was a small venue, half the room was filled with a music store’s worth of equipment. It seems crazy now looking back at it.  I think half the bands back then just wanted to get signed so they could have roadies!

9) You are the main composer in the band. For a new song, do you come at the rehearsal with a full demo with lyrics and music all worked out or is everybody involved in one way or another?

Muck and the Mires started as home demos I made which eventually got released on AMP records  in Canada and Soundflat Records in Germany. So the live band was formed after the record came out and I’ve stuck with the  process of recording demos of songs. When we worked with Kim Fowley I had sent him my home demos of 12 songs for our “Hypnotic” album.   But when we got out to California to record, I discovered my package sitting on his kitchen table unopened.  When we got to the studio, he reached out and handed me an acoustic guitar and said  “Forget those demos…now play me your 12 BEST songs.” I’d get through  maybe 10 seconds of a song and he’d yell “STOP! Next…” or “YES!”  If he liked it. And he was right.  We ended up replacing half the songs and ended up with a much better record thanks to him.  Although, he initially vetoed the song “Hamburg Time” after hearing  only 10 seconds of me muddling through it. I protested and enlisted the rest of the band to join in with me, and that performance secured its place on the album. So the moral  of the story is, a demo can sometimes sell the song better than just the lone songwriter.  And this also helps underscore the reason I surround myself with people who are better players than me.  As flattering as it is when the band sticks to the demo version , it’s equally rewarding to watch the songs evolve and come to life as we play them and collaborate.

10) Since many years now you are DIRTY WATER recording artists. Is this the label that suits Muck And The Mires the best? And if so, why?

Indie record labels are like bands. They have their own followings and style and personalities. When Dirty Water and Muck met by chance at the roulette table of the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas it was  definitely a gamble that paid off big for us. We hit it off right away in terms of musical tastes, sense of humor and work ethic. 

11) What are the plans for 2021 as far as Muck And The Mires are concerned?

We are really hoping that 2021 sees a return to live music cause we are SO ready to hit the road. 

12) Anything you wanna add?

Buy our new album. Buy our old albums. Don’t be like that kid in question one and wait five more years to discover us!

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE: 

https://muckandthemires.bandcamp.com/album/greetings-from-muckingham-palace

 

The Fleshtones - Face Of The Screaming Werewolf

The Fleshtones are back with "Face Of The Screaming Werewolf", released on the great Yep Roc label. This blog being a long time fan of the band, the opportunity was perfect to finally have a chat with Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng. Here it goes: 

1) For the sake of the argument, let's say that a very young viewer stumbles upon this blog for the first time and doesn't know who The FLESHTONES are: what would you tell him about the band to introduce the various members and also your body of work?

Peter Zaremba: Please let's not start by arguing. Probably many people won't know who The Fleshtones are, but by now it's a marvel that they don't. I can modestly say that we are the band that inspired the bands that they love. I'm Peter, I sing, blow the harmonica and try to play keyboards but don't try too hard. Bill Milhizer, ex of The Charades of Troy, New York has been our drummer since 1980. Ken Fox, the Canadian guy, formerly of The Raving Mojos and Jason & The Scorchers plays bass. Keith, please introduce yourself and tell Ratboy about our body of work…

Keith Streng: Hello,   Keith here!   I am the guitarist who had a house for the band to form!!!   We play  an exciting blend (Super Rock) Combining everything explosive and rhythmic with a dose of soul to go!!!  

2)  About the newly released album, "Face Of The Screaming Werewolf",  what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?

PZ: I guess we were still pretty 'live' considering the alternative. We lay down a live 'basic' and go from there. I gotta say I started out with the idea of keeping over dubs down to a minimum, but things change once the tapes rolls.  Michael joked and called us the most edited band in the world. We do have a habit of 'whittling' our songs, usually because we already have ideas in our heads of what we want the song to sound like. We don't just 'see what happens' much in the studio -that can happen on stage. 

KS:Live track by track blow by blow and then we top it off with sugar and spice (Some overdubs)

3)As far as the recordings of this latest album are concerned, did you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you still keep on working with analog machines in analog studios?

PZ: Gee I don't remember, I know Michael uses a computer but I like all styles of recording, it's what you do with them that counts. Keith what do you say?…

KS:   This album was digital reality!!

4) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

PZ: You'd suppose monsters and stuff would be the easy 'go to' topic but we don't write about that stuff as much as we think about it. We have a pretty broad range of interests to write about, but I gotta say a large degree of sincerity has crept into our writing as of late. Life?

KS. There are so many things every day that are fun and rocking!!!   Impossible to have one topic,   Better to open your eyes!  Girls???

5) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

PZ: I think Keith will agree, we listened to everything that was on the radio, and that meant everything! Radio was very different then, you heard all sorts of crazy stuff plus of course the British Invasion, and the earlier music the British bands wet trying to copy, all sorts of soul and R&B, latin and boogaloo, the first generation of American 'garage' one -hit wonders, then when radio went to hell in 1969 and became unlistenable we became record geeks a bit, tracking down Kinks, Move and Yardbirds records and the American blues artists that influenced them, but of course strange stuff too. Wait -that's not 3 bands, and I forget The Ramones, The Stooges and The MC5. Keith, 'Plus’…?

KS: The other Keith!!  The Rolling Stones forever!!!

6) Some of your early records were compiled a few years ago by the Australian label RAVEN (It's
Super Rock Time!; Hexbreaker! / Speed Connection Live In Paris 85; Roman Gods / Upfront EP...Plus) but some never made it to CD, for example "Fleshtones Vs. Reality" why is that so?

PZ: Yeah, wasn't that great? Universal Music was just sitting on all our IRS stuff so it was nice that Raven decided to release it so people could at least hear it. I hope Raven didn't regret that! Good Australians! Now Fleshtones Vs. Reality and Angry Years were both released by separate small extinct labels so that would be harder to do. A shame, both really good albums -all our albums are good! Maybe Yep Roc will gather all this stuff together for a box set, and include our Ichiban albums from the 90s too. They did mention doing that. I boon to the listening public. YepRoc, are you reading this? 

KS:   Yep Roc could do just a box set of the albums we recorded for them,   That’s how much we have to offer!!!

7) Are there any artists in The USA today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?

PZ: This question always makes my mind go blank. Why am I thinking about the Subsonics? Are they still around? Clay is. Or The Gories? Nat Freedburg of The Flies, Titanics, Upper Crust and now solo has always been an inspiration. Now Daddy Longlegs are marvelous. I think Keith kinda raised them up? Keith?…

KS:   Brian used to be my assistant when I was doing “Man with Van”. He was good at that but better at being a rock star!!!  I told him to just go out and play and be seen,   And now look!!!

8) Do you think it was easier to be a rock'n'roll band way back in the 70's than it is now?

PZ: Well RIGHT now it isn't easy to do anything. So yeah, when we started it was easier once you realized you didn't need any money to start a band. And you didn't need much money then to do anything, but there was only a handful of places to play. In New York it was Max's or CBGB, until WE started getting bands into Club 57 and Irving Plaza. Then clubs mushroomed all over the country. Now we can only hope that live venues survive all these lockdowns. No one wants to catch covid for sure, but bands need a place to play other than their basement (like where we started ourselves!).

KS:  If you have the love, passion and energy rock and roll is always waiting!

9) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

PZ: Keith and I have always been the main writers, and I think we're writing more and better now than ever. And writing together again! Ken Fox contributes songs too that are always a welcome change of pace from Keith and my ranting and raving (but we do have our sensitive sides -listen to Keith's 'Alex Trebek' on the latest album). Bill Milhizer hasn't blossomed yet as a composer but something tells me that when he does bloom -look out!

KS: Still waiting for Milhizer’s Delight!!!!

10) Since 2003 you are Yep Roc recording artist. Is this the label that suits The FLESHTONES the best And if so, why?

PZ: short response" YES. Why? Because they started Yep Roc to sign bands like us. In fact the Yep Roc guys hired us to play their frat party when they were still in college and told us "when we get out of school were gonna start a label us we can sign you!". True story. Yep Roc is the best because they put out music they love. Just look at our label mates. Anyone would be proud to be on that label!

KS:  Yep Roc is the only label for the Fleshtones because THEY  like the Fleshtones are REAL and LOVE what they do!!!

The Fleshtones always drink for free!

11) What are the plans for 2021 as far as The FLESHTONES are concerned?

PZ: To get back into action -world-wide! And I'm ready to record a NEW album, what about you Keith?... 

KS: We have a tour in May booked for the Fleshtones,   That is ground zero,   I plan to play every stage that will allow me!!!!

12) Anything you wanna add?

PZ: Yeah, as the Carpenter's sang -"We've Only Just Begun…" Thanks for listening.

KS:   2021 will be the return of Everything Good and Right!!!!    Starting with the Fleshtones!!!!   Tune in!

"Face Of The Screaming Werewolf" is available at independent retail only and will be released direct-to-fan in early 2021. You can find the CD / LP at a record store near your home using this link: https://recordstoreday.com/Stores

Here are The Fleshtones LIVE in Lyon in November 2019.

Psychotic Youth - Forever and Never

2020.... Man, What a year it has been for singer/guitarist Jörgen Westman and the other longtime band members of PSYCHOTIC YOUTH, Ulf Abrahamsson (guitar), Anders Nordstrand (bass), Gunnar Frick (organ), and Kent Sjöholm (drums). 

Despite the weird times we are living in and the lack of concerts, the band managed to celebrate its 35 years of existence by reissuing two of its most famous full lengths:

1) "STEREOIDS REVISITED", released in transparent green vinyl, is featuring a new mix by Christian Jacobsen - the Norwegian wizard who is internationally known for working with bands like Yum Yums, The Dahlmanns etc. 

2) "BAMBOOZLE", the album that is best know for including the covers of the hit "Japanese boy" and for its brilliant rendition of "How long will it take" originally by the Plimsouls is pressed on a beautiful red transparent vinyl.  

But what would have sufficed to any other band on the planet, is not enough for PSYCHOTIC YOUTH. On the top of those 2 reissues, the group just released what is probably its best record so far, its 14th album: FOREVER AND NEVER. And boy, what a record it is. Once again produced by Christian Jacobsen. this new record is firing on all cylinders and featuring 15 tracks (including 2 covers: Secret Service's "Ten O'Clock Postman" and The Messengers' "That's the Way a Woman Is") of classic power pop/surf-punk soon to be hits.  

If, like yours truly, you are a long time fan of PSYCHOTIC YOUTH, then this new album with hooks aplenty, big choruses, fat guitars  and swirling crumar organ will fill you with joy. If you are a new comer and want to have a taste of the real deal, FOREVER AND NEVER is the perfect place to start. This is an absolute must buy.

PURCHASE IT HERE: www.redwest.se

AND HERE FOR THE JAPANESE CD VERSION : http://watersliderecords.net/?pid=155063079

The Sino Hearts - Mandarin A Go-Go

THE SINO HEARTS are a brilliant 70s Punk Power Pop/Garage band based in Bejing, China.  Recently, Topsy Turvy Records released their second album 'Mandarin A-GOGO' which was recorded and produced in Austria, especially mixed and mastered on a vintage analogue tape machine. 

The album contains 10 fantastic new songs, taking their musical influences from 60's Garage, 70's Punk/Power Pop and little bit of Mod swagger thrown in for good measure. These Chinese punkers are just incredible and will absolutely blow your mind with their powerful music! Without any doubt this is the best Chinese rock'n'roll band. Here is a very enlightening conversation with ZHONG, mastermind behind the SINO HEARTS.

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about The Sino Hearts to introduce yourselves? How long are you together as a band?  What is your musical background? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays? How did you come up with the name of the band? 

Hey Eric! First of all,thank you for this interview! Well, My name is Zhong and I formed The Sino Hearts back in 2014 when I was still living in Vienna, Austria. So the original members were Frank (Drums), Kasi (Bass), Fabian (Guitar) and me (Vox & Guitar) and we recorded a few songs and did open for several power pop or garage punk bands who came to play in Vienna. 

Around 2016 I decided to move back to Beijing and explore my musical career over there, because I moved to Vienna when I was very young and when I managed and played DEECRACKS China tour 2015, the development of the whole country was shocking, also along with the music scene. So I reformed with Chinese members and continued to play the old and new songs till now,because I wrote all the music and lyrics from the start.Current members are Xu on Drums and Li on Bass plus me as the guitarist and lead vocal. 

Well I used to study classical music back in Vienna, later moved to normal major like cultural communication at university of Vienna, besides I played bass guitar with local punk bands like Deecracks, Frankenstyle, 2nd class substitutes, Maltschicks Molodi and so on and went on tour and recorded albums with different groups. 

When I was in Vienna,I always went to little Chinatown to buy Asian foods and one of the spots was called Sino Supermarkt , I just pick this inspiration and as a big fan of power pop bands all good bands comes up with something with “Hearts”, so that’s how the band name came from. 

2) About this latest full length album "Mandarin A Go-Go" newly released on Soundflat, what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? 

2019 was a very busy year,cuz we toured in South Korea and made my comeback tour back in Europe with the first full Chinese Line-up.In between the tour schedule we recorded this “Mandarin A Go-Go” Record at S.T.R.E.S.S Studio in Graz,Austria.

Our producer, Tom, was a good friend of mine and we are both music nerds, so I was totally into this recording session with his help.

We did several preparation back in Beijing in advance, like drums and bass for upcoming official European recording session, so besides the drums, I recorded everything in the studio as kinda of Dave Grohl person,cuz over the years through different music training, I could manage to do it in a short time.The whole album was recorded around maybe in only 5 days.

All the instruments were recorded separately and in a musical strictly way with overdubs for sure and Tom did the mix and mastering in 2 days I remembered,just like the Ramones first record,even it might sounds rough and imperfect,but it was all strictly well recorded and imperfection is the soul of Rock’n Roll music on my opinion.

3) Do you use the nowadays recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?

We use both techniques actually,because that is a common thing in modern recording trend I guess.There were ton of original vintage gears at S.T.R.E.S.S studio in Graz and I picked like a 60's Vox & Fender Amps and 70's Marshall 800 and many others all time classics as my guitar tones with all 60's Beatles Recording Mic settings. During the mix and mastering process, Tom did it on the analog machines in order to get the sound we all obsessed with!

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

I wrote all the lyrics and music and do the arrangement with previous Austrian and now Chinese Band mates and now I am preparing the 3rd album including at least 15 songs,probably still needed to fly to Europe to get the real musical connection and authentic sound!

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

I’m not only a big fan of 60's garage and 70's punk/power pop mods music ,but also very influenced by Viennese way of life. Mostly about loneliness and negative feeling of urban city life, musicality was catchy and happy, but when you look at the lyrics is the opposite.  

6) How would you describe the kind of music you guys are playing? If I were to call it "PowerPop", would you agree with this label or do you consider there is way more than that? 

Some of the tunes I guess they are PowerPop , but I don’t have any boundaries with good music. Because around 10 years ago I was still a chaos punk and playing D-beat opened for the casualties show in Vienna. We play melodic 70's influenced modern Garage Punk if there must be a label.

7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the LP?? 

 

8) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have an influence on your own work today.

As a teenager around 2000's besides classic music like Rachmaninoff, Debussy. I listened to lots of new garage revival bands, hardcore punk, streetpunk stuffs. But it’s very hard to pick 3 bands,I’ll try.

1. Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers; 2. Rolling stones(Brian Jones era) 3. Exploding Hearts

9) What can concert goers expect at a Sino Hearts gig? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the set? 

Over the years touring we did cover numbers like Buzzcocks “Ever fallen in love”,the Zeros “Beat your heart out”,Exploding Hearts “Pretender” , Johnny Thunders “Get off the Phone”,Sex Pistols “Lonely Boy” and so on.

10) Is there a real rock'n'roll scene in China today? Are there any bands in the China today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking? 

Yes,China is a very strange combination between the different ideologies which leads to its cultural development too. Rock’n Roll scene here is still kinda very new and young people still getting involved a lot, most of the audience are under 22 years old which I think is very different from any other Rock’n Roll traditional countries. But the average level of music development is still not comparable with the west. I spent the most important times in Austria so I don’t feel close to any Chinese bands but there are few I could recommend to you and viewers of this blog.

Joyside (early days 70s punk and now Indie Rock) https://youtu.be/i6CiiiVEbuM 

Bedstars (Garage Rock) https://youtu.be/TVQ7tvoJpeM

Run Run Run (lofi Krautrock) https://youtu.be/vagoebBr68A

New Pants (New Wave) https://youtu.be/BCTTS3N3vK0

11) What are the plans for the rest of 2020 and for 2021 as far as The Sino Hearts are concerned? 

We are gonna play a festival next weekend at a big concert hall in Beijing, cuz the corona outbreak is under control in China whatever people outside believe or not. And keep working on new songs for the 3rd album and let’s see when the normal world is back on track again then we could have fun on touring as we used to have. 

12) Anything you wanna add?

Hope everybody stay safe and healthy and please wear the masks!hahaha

PURCHASE THE DIGITAL GOODIES HERE: 

https://thesinohearts.bandcamp.com/album/mandarin-a-go-go

 

OR A PHYSICAL COPY HERE:

https://www.soundflat.de/shop/shop.cfm?artnr=27326&CFID=c117ac32-fc64-44d1-bfaf-713f89ad635a&CFTOKEN=0

Daddy Long Legs - Lowdown Ways Deluxe Edition

It's almost a year and a half since New York blues bashers DADDY LONG LEGS released their Jimmy Sutton-produced album Lowdown Ways. To commemorate the anniversary of their Yep Roc debut, the band  released the digital only deluxe edition of the album with three unreleased tracks from the Lowdown Ways sessions. This was the perfect opportunity for this blog to talk to singer, songwriter, harmonica player and guitarist  Brian Hurd. 

 1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about Daddy Long Legs to introduce yourselves? How long are you together as a band?  What is your musical background? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?

Hmmm well that’s a tall order let me see see here.... We’re a New York City based Trio playing our own supercharged style of Rhythm & Blues. We’ve been at it a decade now touring the world, releasing records and leaving a trail of utter devastation in our wake. We were formed over a mutual love of razor sharp blues heroes and It’s been the same original lineup since the beginning. Josh Styles on Drums and Percussion, Murat Aktürk on Guitar and myself on Blues Harp, Guitar and Lead Vocals.  

2) About the latest full length record "Lowdown Ways",  what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? 

Lowdown Ways was recorded in Chicago at Hi-Style Studios and  was produced by Jimmy Sutton and engineered by Alex Hall. All the basic tracks were done live. We don’t do a lot of overdubs! 

3) Do you use the nowadays recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?

Mostly analog but we use some modern equipment to try to get the best of both worlds. 

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

I would say I’ve been the main composer but everyone brings their own thing to it and all the new songs we’ve been writing this year have been very much a group effort. 

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

Personal experience. 

6) How would you describe the kind of music you guys are playing? If I were to call it "Roots rock'n'roll", would you agree with this description or do you consider there is way more than that? 

We call it Rock N Roll salvation through the spirit of Roots N Blues! 

7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the LP?

We have the “Pink Lemonade” music video and also the official album trailer that feature two singles from “Lowdown Ways”. 

8) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have an influence on your own work today.

We were all raised on Punk Rock. The Ramones, The MC5 and The Stooges have been a big influence. Our music is a lot different sonically speaking but the spirit and the attitude is there. 

9) What can concert goers expect at a Daddy Long Legs gig? Are you playing any famous cover
songs during the set? 

Most people have described our shows as being a spiritual experience. Our gigs are hot and sweaty with a lot of foot stomping and hand clapping. We don’t do a lot of covers but when we do we tend to go for something a bit more obscure. 

10) Are there any bands in the USA today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?

Were sort of in a class of our own.  Even amongst the so called “roots rock” or “punk blues” type bands but there’s a lot of great bands out there we dig a whole bunch such as Bloodshot Bill, Harlem Slim, Blind Boy Paxton, Nikki Hill, Blackfoot Gypsies, The Nude Party & JD McPherson. 

11) What are the plans for the rest of 2020 as far as Daddy Long Legs is concerned?

We’ve been focusing on writing new music and we’re now closing in on another albums worth of material. Stay tuned! 

12) Anything you wanna add?

Daddy Long Legs is The Truth!

PURCHASE IT HERE: https://daddylonglegsnyc.bandcamp.com/album/lowdown-ways-deluxe-edition

JENNY EP on WANDA Records

Justin Maurer and some of his friends released this debut EP under the moniker JENNY as a single sided colored 12" vinyl. The flipside has been decorated with a silkscreen print.

Read this very interesting interview where Justin reveals, amongst other things, the origin of the band's name, how the songs were recorded, how a good power pop song should sound and how music as a form of communication provides him with a catharsis.

 1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about JENNY to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays? Can you explain the choice of the band's name.

My name is Justin Maurer and since I was 15 years old I've toured and released records with bands like Maurice's Little Bastards, Deadly Weapons, Red Dons, Clorox Girls, Suspect Parts, Mano De Mono, LA Drugz, and Maniac.  When I was playing guitar and singing in Maniac I wrote some songs that were in more of a 60s power-pop vibe that didn't really fit in with what Maniac was doing.  James "Jimmy" Carman (who played drums in LA Drugz and Maniac) and I recorded some songs in his home studio in Carson, California that I dubbed "Carson Drift Studios".  The recordings turned out pretty damn good. We play well and sing well together.  I played guitar and bass and sang lead vocals. Jimmy played drums and sang backing vocals.  We had a lot of great harmonies. 

My little brother moved to Texas, and I drove out there from Los Angeles to visit last year for Christmas.  L.A. to Dallas, Texas is about a 24 hour drive. On the way, my good friend Cezar Mora and I did a mini-tour playing country music covers and originals. This project is called Cezar & Justin.  The last show of our mini-tour was in Tucson, Arizona.  We stayed with Matt Rendon from the killer band, The Resonars. He showed us his analog home studio called Midtown Island Studios which he has in a shed in his backyard.  The studio was incredible. All of the Resonars records he made there sounded fucking fantastic. I began jonesing to record there.  On the long drive back from Texas after Christmas, I made a pit stop in Tucson and recorded some songs with Matty.  I sang and played guitar and Matt played drums, bass, lead guitar, and sang backing vocals.  The Carson Drift and Midtown Island recordings became the JENNY EP.   When I was thinking about what to call this project my good friend Jenny Messer (who frequently roadies for The Spits and the King Khan & BBQ Show)  said that the best name in the world for a band would be JENNY.  I thought about it and agreed with her.  Jenny Angellio from the band Neighborhood Brats thinks the band is named after her.  Matt Rendon thinks I named the band after a girl named Jenny from Tucson.  My sister's name is Jenny. And I do love the Tommy Tutone song.  But the name actually comes from Jenny Messer's suggestion. Thanks Jenny.  After the pandemic dies down (we're still at around 1000 new cases of Covid daily in Los Angeles), I plan to form a full band and do some more recording and touring as JENNY.

2) About the HALF length record (as opposed to FULL length, ha ha), what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs? And why only 5 songs? What happened to the 5 other ones?

The recording was live, with guitar/vocals/and drums recorded at the same time.  If I didn't like the vocal take, I'd do it again, but some of the first takes ended up working out great.  We overdubbed bass. lead guitar, backing vocals and sometimes extra percussion and handclaps.  I have lots more songs, but I had the idea to make a one-sided 12" record that could play on 45 RPM speed.  I love 12" records on 45 speed. I believe one side of a 12" has to be 15 minutes or under to play on 45 RPM, so that's why you only have 5 songs.  I'm looking forward to recording a full length as soon as we can.

3) Do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios?

I always prefer analog studios and have done most of my records at fantastic analog studios like Egg Studios in Seattle, Stationhouse in Los Angeles, Smail Shock's Studio B in Berlin, Estudios Tigruss in Gandia, Spain and most recently Midtown Island Studio in Tucson, Arizona.   James Carman's home studio in Carson, California was digital, that's where we did the first 3 songs of the JENNY EP.  And the last 2 songs are analog, at Matt Rendon's Midtown Island.   Where analog tape recordings are most noticeably "warmer" for me are in the drums and the vocals.  However, some digital recordings can sound pretty good too, it just depends on the recording technique, the microphones used, the placement of the mics, and the equipment.   It's an analog guitar played through an analog amp, recorded with an analog mic that goes into a digital recording setup.  The first 3 songs on the EP which are digital sound pretty fucking great.  And of course the last 2 on analog sound great too.   I'm a purist and always prefer analog, but sometimes it can be cost-prohibitive and it can be much cheaper to do digital.  That said, if bands want an authentic old school sound, go with an analog engineer and an analog setup.

4) How come that Helen Santiago in on the BACK cover? Commercially speaking would it not have been a smarter move to put her on the FRONT? I mean no disrespect, but it is a general admitted fact that a girl on the front cover of a record is always good for the sales of a record.

The cover is a two sided one.  There is no back cover. It's a double A Side.  The Helen Santiago photo is a great shot by Vicky Vicks, a photographer from Madrid, that's why we used it.  I wanted people to think that Helen was "JENNY" and the other guys on the other side are the backing band.  It seems to have worked to some degree.

5) You are the composer of all the tunes on this record. What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

Most of my songs are personal.  The first song "Stupid Band" is about playing in touring punk bands for 20 years, the second song "Rose City" is how heartbreaking it was to move away from Portland, Oregon and how I still miss my friends dearly.  The third tune "Cockroach Tea" is about moving into my new apartment in Pico Union, Los Angeles about four years ago and drinking a cup of tea. I set the mug down and saw a cockroach crawl out of it. "Don't mind me I'm just sitting here drinking cockroach tea".  "Alright WIth Me" is about the end of my last relationship. We got divorced. "Song For Sadie" is about my ex-girlfriend Sadie. Nearly every song on the three Clorox Girls LPs is about her.  She had a tragic event in her life, and when she told me, it broke my heart and I wrote the song for her. 

6) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.  

When I was a teenager and got into music, I was living in a small town near Seattle called Bainbridge Island. The local punk scene was very healthy at that point and some of the first records I owned were by local bands like PUD, The Rickets and The Displacements as well as a bunch of Seattle punk and 70's and 80's Californian punk.  My dad had a surfer friend from Morro Bay, California named Fran. He would mail me tapes of his local blues radio show.  Bluesmen like Lightnin' Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters were on there as well as old country music like Lefty Frizell and Hank Williams.  One of my favorite movies as a teenager was "La Bamba",the biopic about 50s rock legend Ritchie Valens.  I also had lots of respect for early rock n roll like Little Richard, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and James Brown.  I moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1994 and still remember the songs which were played on the local alternative radio station 107.7 The End.  Weezer's Blue Album, Nirvana's Unplugged in New York, the first Foo Fighters album with the ray gun on the cover.  My favorite band as a teenager was probably The Germs.  I have a Germs tattoo and still love the Germs.  I also have a Richie Valens tattoo.  So there's 2 that still have an influence on me today: The Germs and Ritchie Valens.  One more?  Buddy Holly.

7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the LP? 

No, not yet.  I'm still bugging Andrew "Le Capitan" Zappin to make one for us.

8) What can concert goers expect at a JENNY concert? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the gig? 

Hopefully in 2021 we can tour again, right? I believe Americans are currently banned from entering Europe due to our government's complete and utter failure to contain the Coronavirus.  Famous cover songs?  We'll see...  it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you in this interview.

9) Are there any bands in The USA today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?

I like the Reflectors outta Long Beach, California.  I also dig More Kicks out of London, England. I haven't heard any other bands that sound anything like us except my old bands Suspect Parts or LA Drugz maybe.

10) How would You describe the music you're playing? 

Power Pop/Punk with a strong 60s influence.  Catchy, warm, nice harmonies.  Many power pop bands really lack on the POWER end of things. (I can only agree with that! Eric) It's an art to balance both the pop and the power. It's something I always strive for. You gotta sweeten em up then kick em in the balls.

11) What are the plans for the rest of 2020 and for 2021 as far as JENNY is concerned? 

I'd like to record a full length record then tour in 2021 as soon as we can. Releasing another record, touring the west coast of the US and Europe would be fantastic.

12) Are you willing to talk about your youth as a CODA or do you believe this as no concern at all with JENNY? 

Sure.  I'm a CODA which means child of a deaf adult.  My mom, aunt, and stepdad are all Deaf. My first language was American Sign Language. When I grew up, I was the oldest in my family so I was the one that my mom relied on to interpret for her for most of my childhood and teenage years. My parents were divorced when I was really young. In my family we had a lot of alcohol and drug abuse on both sides as well as some history of sexual abuse. For me, music was an outlet that kept me sane.  A lot of my friends and family members got hit with drug and alcohol addiction, and I'm fortunate that music kept me motivated and out of that kind of trouble. I saw music as an escape out of a small town and began recording and touring when I was 15 years old. I love performing and playing music, and am very grateful to have had the opportunity to play all over North and South America and Europe with my bands.  Sign Language is a different form of communication that's visual.  Music is also a form of communication. When I'm communicating well in any language it provides me with a catharsis, a release, that has really helped me out in life, and I think it has helped many other people too. Great songwriting is great storytelling and I try to tell a story with my songs.

13) Anything you wanna add?

Thanks for listening!  The JENNY 12" is available in Europe through Wanda Records and in the US through Dirt Cult Records in Portland, Oregon. We're available for private events, weddings and bar mitzvahs. If there's any European festivals in 2021, JENNY would love to play!  By the way, for you German record collectors, the first pressing of the JENNY 12" is 300 copies, on blue vinyl, with a beautiful screenprint on the B side of the vinyl.  There's full color art, a great thick sleeve, and a download code of the album included. We're really happy with how it turned out, Monster at Wanda Records did an amazing job!  

Order the JENNY EP in Europe here: https://mailorder.wandarecords.de/

Order the JENNY EP in North America here:  https://dirt-cult-records.myshopify.com/products/jenny-s-t-12

Stream the JENNY EP here: https://jenny2020.bandcamp.com/album/jenny    

See Justin's music, writing, and ASL Interpreting here:  www.justin-maurer.com

 

Paul Collins' Beat - Another World Best of The Archives

Alive Naturalsound Records has recently released PAUL COLLINS' BEAT - Another World / The Best Of The Archives.

It took 2 years to Paul Collins to transcribe to his hard drive 40 years of music that was recorded on his countless cassettes. So, culled from his personal archives “Another World - The Best Of The Archives” compiles previously unreleased material going back to 1978 and the early days of the Paul Collins’ Beat. None of the recordings have been released before and all have been carefully remastered. 

This release comes with extensive liner notes by the man himself explaining in detail every song and sometimes bringing back memories of music made with his friend Steven Huff.

 Thanks to Patrick Boissel this blog had the opportunity to do this interview.

1)For the sake of the argument, let's say that a very young viewer stumbles upon this blog for the first time and doesn't know who Paul COLLINS is: what would you tell him about you and your background to introduce yourself and your body of work?

I'm a self taught musician who got his start back in 1974 making music that was not fashionable at all. Because of this we tenaciously stuck to our ideals and became pioneers in the type of music we are known for, punk / power pop.

2)At the end of the 70's /early 80's The BEAT was regarded as the next big thing in Powerpop: arecord deal with Columbia, an album produced by Bruce Botnick filled to rafters with amazingly catchy songs but it seems, in retrospect, that The KNACK got away with the one iconic hit the main public seems to remember from that area ("My Sharona") . How can this be explained and how do you feel about that? Are you bitter about this or not at all?

We weren't really regarded as the next big thing, even though we had one of the biggest managers and record companies in the business,  no one really knew what to do with us or how to market us, so consequently we fell through the cracks. For many years I consumed myself with trying to make it big in the music business, it was very frustrating and in the end pointless. When I concentrated on what I could do, tour and make records, my life became more enjoyable. 

3)Do you think it was easier to be a rock'n'roller way back in the 70's than it is now? Are there any excesses you would not indulge in today? 

I think being good and successful have always been difficult. I would have quit smoking sooner and taken better care of my teeth! 

4) When reading the liner notes of "Another world", it seems that you have in stock way more songs than the ones released on this album. Will you consider giving them away as a download on Bandcamp?  

No, I am very happy with the new record,  it has the good stuff on it, it's what I want people to hear. 

) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

There is none, writing a good song for me is totally unpredictable,  I never know what is going to pop up!

6) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What were your favorite bands as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

I listened to a lot of AM radio, which was a little bit of everything that was popular,  it gave me a great foundation in music. I loved the bands from the 60's, The Beatles,  The Stones, most of the British Invasion bands, The Beach Boys, The Buckinghams, it was a golden age for rock n roll.My all time favorite band is The Beatles,  no doubt about it! Then I love most of the obvious singers and bands, Stones, Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel,  Jefferson Airplane,  Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley..

7) Are there any artists in The USA today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking?

Not sure, I am not listening to enough these days. 

8) As far as your new recordings are concerned, do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you still keep on working with analog machines in analog studios?

I work with whatever is available.  It's the music that I am mainly concerned with. 

and now a few questions from the viewers of the blog:

9) Alain from France tells us that At the time, he had glued the entire cover of the record (30 cm...)on the rear window of his car !! His question is : Why a slow song (You and I) on your first LP ?? Wonderful album ! How did you choose Bruce Botnick to produce it - good choice ? 

A good ballad is so important to a record, it's also the hardest kind of song to write.  I think it's an important part of the record.  Bruce was the absolute best producer The Beat could have ever hoped for, he loved the band, he got us signed along with Eddie Money to Columbia, so there was never any question that he would be our producer. 

10) An unknown Spanish speaking viewer wrote : 1-tienes previsto reeditar el disco ONE NIGHT? Mi vinilo no aguanta mas.esta hecho polvo.2-Encontre en una tienda de segunda mano,el cd Paul collins de JULIO'S RECORDS.Podrías contar algo sobre la gestación y producción del mismo.gracias.KEEP ON ROCKIN'.UN ABRAZO.

Hola, One Night es re edited y tu puedes comprarlo en mi Bandcamp pagina. Todos los musicos nesecito una bootleg discovered esto es mio! No es mi disco favorito, pero hay algunos Buenos temas. 

11) Curty Ray from the USA would like to know what it was like to work with Prairie Prince from the Tubes?

Prairie is amazing, awesome, fantastic drummer and super cool guy. He was our first pick to work with in San Francisco and fortunately for us he was available. He has the best drumming skills!

12) Jobe tells us that One of his favorite all time song is "That's What Life Is All About" so thank you for that. His question is "From going to Columbia then to Passport now on Alive did you have to cater your style to what the labels ask of you?"

No, not really. Columbia wanted hits and the rest of the labels loved us for what we did. At this point I have been with Alive Naturalsound Records the longest, it is a very comfortable and mutually beneficial arrangement. The fact that Alive is the sister company of Bomp! Records makes it even more perfect! 

PURCHASE IT HERE : https://www.bompstore.com/collins-paul-nerves-the-beat-another-world-best-of-the-archives-blue-vinyl-with-insert/

The Fox Sisters - Bust Out!

 

The Fox Sisters is featuring a group of friends, all veterans of the Rochester NY music scene who got together for kicks and immediately sparks flew! Before long they were known as the Flower City’s premier party starters and the go to band for night clubs, dances and backyard BBQ’s.

The Fox Sisters return this year with a new full-length album, "Bust Out!". Twelve original tracks recorded at the Subterranean Studios. First single served up is "The Song I Sing", with video directed by Austin Lake.

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about The Fox Sisters to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band? Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?

The Fox Sisters are a six piece Rock’n’Roll band heavily influenced by American rhythm & blues music of the 1960’s. We are from Rochester, New York (USA) and have been a band since 2012, so about 8 years at this point. Band members are Patrick McNally vocals, Jimmy Filingeri bass, Brian Shafer drums, Mark Bradley sax, Phil Marshall guitar and Joe Bushen piano. This is Jimmy answering the questions by the way.

2) About the latest full length record "Bust Out", what can you tell about the recording process? Was this a "live" in the studio recording or a track by track recording with lots of overdubs?

Bust Out was recorded almost entirely live with only a few overdubs of backing vocals. We recorded in the Subterranean Studio which is the basement studio of Chris “The Squire” Zajkowski. Chris recorded, produced, engineered and mixed the entire album. We consider him our 7th sister. Chris has been creating pop masterpieces under the name The Squires of the Subterranean for decades and you should definitely check out his records.

3) Do you use the nowadays digital recording technology or do you guys only work with analog machines in analog studios? 

Bust Out was recorded and mixed on analog tape. We have recorded by both digital and analog means in the past, it usually depends on who we are working with and the type of equipment they have. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Honestly, we care more about WHO we are working with than how they are recording us. When I hear music I’ve made in the past the dynamic that is most apparent to me is people that were involved.

4) Is there a main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another? 

Patrick writes most of the songs and I write some songs as well. That said, all of the songs are full band collaborations. The songs are skeletons when they are introduced but it’s not until the band adds their blood, guts and muscle that they are show ready.

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?

Love, love, love and loving life. The flip side of those topics are abundant in the daily grind, who needs to hear any more about that? The Fox Sisters are here to spread love and happiness. Not in a hippy way. In a loud, dance ’til you drop and smile until your face hurts way.

6) To what kind of music did you listen to as teenagers and does it still influence your today work? What were your 3 favorite bands as a teenager?  

As a teen probably The Rolling Stones, The Replacements & Cheap Trick. The Rolling Stones are definitely a life long influence. With the Fox Sisters, the way the Stones took their influences and made it into something of their own is most significant. I also think our sax player Mark has a style similar to the Stones long time sax man Bobby Keys. In other words, a very Rock’n’Roll sound the suits us well.

7) Do you have a new video on youtube featuring a track from the LP?  

We have a couple of videos from the new album. The video for “The Song I Sing” was done by Austin Lake who makes amazing music under the name Aweful Kanawful as well as with The Televisionaries (a band that includes his talented brothers Trevor & Brendan). Austin also makes his own music videos and is finishing up a feature length film that several of The Fox Sisters play characters in. 

There is a video for “RunRabbit Run” that Jimmy made and Patrick is working on a video for “If You Only Knew”.

8) What can concert goers expect at a Fox Sisters concert? Are you playing any famous cover songs during the gig? 

People can expect dancing, sweat, and revelry bordering on a rampage. We try to put on a high energy show and we like to leave the audience exhausted but wanting more. We don’t do many covers but one song we have done recently is “Right Hand Man” by Bobby Comstock (famous for his song “Let’s Stomp!”) Bobby grew up not far from Rochester in Ithaca NY. We also recorded a cover of the song “Sweet Mary” by Wadsworth Mansion that is available on our website and Spotify. “Sweet Mary” did go to number 2 on the charts in 1970 but is still a fairly obscure number to most people. It’s a real gem of a song and I think we did it justice.

9) Are there any bands in The USA today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking? 

I would say our most obvious contemporary influences are The Fleshtones and Barrence Whitfield and The Savages. World class! Really the best of the best. Patrick and I also received an invaluable education from a local band called The Essentials, later known as The Salamanders.  They showed us that hometown bands were capable of making amazing Rock’n’Roll. Greg and Todd of  The Essentials went on to become The Hi-Risers. Mark of The Essentials is now a Fox Sister and the Essentials drummer Chris is The Squire, who produced Bust Out! We also have a great Rock’n’Roll scene here in Rochester. We love to play with and are inspired by our friends The Televisionaries (Hi-Tide Recordings), Aweful Kanawful, Harmonica Lewinski, Dangerbyrd and many more.

10) How would You describe the music you're playing? 

In the simplest terms, it’s Rock’n’Roll music. We are inspired by black rhythm & blues and soul music of the 50’s and 60’s. We are influenced by high energy Rock’n’Roll bands, R&B inspired garage and frat bands and blue eyed soul primarily from the 60’s but right up to the modern day. We do not attempt to capture the look or even the sound of the era we take influence from. What we hope to achieve is the aesthetic and the energy of the music we love. Those are elements we can define ourselves as they don’t belong to any one era.

11) What are the plans for the rest of 2020 as far as Fox Sisters is concerned? 

We will continue to promote our album as best we can under the current circumstances.  We are still writing songs and rehearsing and hoping for a better 2021. Once the coast is clear we plan to play more shows in as many places as we can manage.  

12) Anything you wanna add? 

If you made it this far in the interview we hope you are interested enough to give our music a listen. If you like what you hear please tell your friends about The Fox Sisters. Our music is available on Bandcamp & Spotify. Our records are distributed by Get Hip in the US and FOLC Records in Europe. Thank you for your time!

PURCHASE Bust Out! HERE: https://thefoxsisters.bandcamp.com/album/bust-out