Mom - Pleasure Island is now released on vinyl by WANDA Records

 

Pleasure Island is now officially released by Wanda Records

in Germany. Therefore the MOM's interview is republished here.

Hailing from Malmö, Sweden, comes this new and very promising young band named MOM (Donny, Luke Frank and newcomer Spike). 

Their first full length, "Pleasure Island" is filled to the rafters with crunchy guitars and catchy choruses. It is certainly one of the best debut albums ever released in 2020. Watch out for these guys, they are going to be huge in the years to come. And remember where you read it first!

So it was time for yours truly to have a very interesting and enlightening talk with guitar player Donny.

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about you and your musical background to introduce yourself? Can you also introduce the other members of MOM who participated in the recordings? 

I'm a product of my dad’s record collection. The apple doesn't fall that far from the tree. He has always had a great taste in music: Dwight Twilley Band, Elvis Costello, Iggy Pop... You name it! I got my first guitar when I was about 13 and I started to write songs as soon as I learned a few chords. Those first songs were kind of crude and childish, but I had a lot of fun. It was a magical time. It wasn't until a few years later that I got to play in a band that I started to take songwriting a bit more seriously. We played a lot of punk, at least it sounded punk, you know. Me and Luke go a long way back. He used to be the tough guy at our school, messing with all the kiddies. As for me and Frank, we used to be neighbors. He lived upstairs from me so I heard all this music blasting through the roof. That's really how the band started: one day I just knocked on his door and off we went! We had a common interest in songs, how they function and why some songs feel better than others. We used to show each other ideas and stuff, sort of a Lennon-McCartney relationship but with a lot less talent. Come to think of it, I guess that we were more like Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons: Just two teenage boys having fun, thinking that we were the coolest thing around. I don’t know, it’s not that long ago, but I certainly don’t see myself as a “Paul Stanley” type of person. Not anymore. 

2) About MOM's debut full length album "Pleasure Island", 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?

Well, we recorded the album with a dude called Harry. I think that he and Luke knew each other from way back. Funny guy, but not much of a talker. Anyway, the album wasn't recorded in a professional studio, but in Harry's cramped basement. He took care of the recording, mixing and mastering. Because we didn't have a drummer at the time (which we have now and we call him Spike!) I had to do the dirty work of playing drums on most of the tracks. I believe Frank played drums on Suzie (Use Me) as well as on our version of The Miracles' "The tracks of my tears" (a single b-side). And because we recorded the album during the summer it was a warm, sweaty and vicious affair! I cannot remember exactly, but some tracks were performed with the drums and bass playing together in real-time to a click-track, but most of the tracks are mostly overdubs. The main reason is that I don't really have the physical prowess to be able to play a whole song all the way through. As I said, playing drums is hard work. Still, we strive not to make too many edits specifically on the drum tracks. Other than that, the album was a bliss to make; we had a few beers and played loud guitars. Luke, being the kind of guy he is, also spent time experimenting with different instruments to, I guess, enhance the soundscape: playing cowbell with a banana, putting kazoos through fuzz pedals, running half-naked around the basement trying to capture the sound of bare skin. Harry happily obliged. Some of it ended up on the record, I think! 

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

 I don't really know, it’s all magic to me. Analog microphones. Analog instruments. Computers. Robotic players playing like machines. 

4) How would you describe the music you are playing? If I were to call it PowerPop à la Big Star, would you agree with this label? Are you proud of it or do you consider there is way more than that?

When someone asks, we usually just say guitar-driven pop music. It tends to paint the best picture of what we do. Powerpop, or simply rock ’n’ roll, is probably a good description as well although it certainly is up for debate as to what exactly merits those labels. I mean, something we realized after releasing this record is that people often compare us with a lot of bands we never even heard of. As for the Big Star comparison, we would be thrilled if anyone thought of our music as being similar to Big Star's in any way, but we don't necessarily draw that line ourselves. I grew up with their first two albums (#1 Record & Radio City), and I guess that it sometimes shines through in our music, but it's not necessarily by design, or that I'm aware of it myself. Obviously, the music is sort of centered around hooks; everything from melodies to specific drum fills and arrangement choices. The focus is always on the song and how to put it together. And we never jam! Mostly because we suck at it, but also because we don't have the luxury to spend too much time on an idea that hasn't already been worked through in the privacy of one's lonely bedroom. We live in different cities, you see, so we have to spend our time with care. 

5) What is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily when you write a new song?   I'm not sure that I have a favorite topic. Songs usually just come to me, and I'm not really in charge of when and how. I'm not really that aware when I write lyrics, but I know that it's more important to get them to sound good rather than what they contain. However, some of the usual stuff that I end up writing about are the same things that any sensible songwriter ends up writing about: Difficult love, loneliness, boredom, having fun, wanting to have fun, etc. But then again, I don't know what topic the next song I'll write will deal with. I have a big heap of new songs that I'm currently working on. Some of them have lyrics, but most of them don't. We'll see, maybe the next album will be all about riding horses and eating ice cream. 

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

Unfortunately no. We made a quick and silly video ourselves for ”Tonight” when we released it but have yet to find someone more professional interested in making a video for us. But it’s definitely something we want to do in the future, probably for a new release. We’ve noticed we don’t look that good on film. Luke can’t seem to behave on set either, he gets too excited. Guess we’ll have to work on that. 

7) What can concert goers expect at a MOM's gig? Are you playin' any famous cover songs during the concert? 

It will definitely be great fun and, hopefully, loud! All those years of hula-hooping have made me half-deaf. Some of us have been playing together for a long time so I think we sound really tight as a group. Since the world has been on more or less lockdown for a year we haven’t been able to take this outfit on the road at all, so we are very stir-crazy at the moment and eager to play. Those first gigs, once they come, will surely be something you don’t want to miss out on. Because the album is just over half an hour long we feel compelled to take on a few songs to cover, which is fine because there are so many good songs out there - powerpop or not! Maybe we should do one by ABBA, I don't know. We'll see. 

8) Are there any bands in Sweden today you consider yourself close to, musically speaking? 

 To be honest, not really. There are a few good rock bands but they tend to be either more punk or "rock" than we are. Most contemporary pop bands in Sweden play some kind of mellow synthpop, or indie rock, which tends to be either too serious and/or sad for our taste. Still, there are a few good bands out there. We like our pop music to be fun and heavy on guitars. Now when I think about it, the band The Wannadies is probably the closest bet. Catchy tunes, a great look. And fun! Their song "So happy now" is great. 

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

Oh man, I listened to a lot of bands that can be considered either shit or awesome. This is a tough one because I got into The Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, and Fountains of Wayne way later, which are the bands that I sort of connect the strongest to nowadays. Other than Big Star I also listened to a lot of Matthew Sweet. 100% Fun is my favorite album by him. I guess that I also have to say Tom Petty. What a guy! Too cool for school. And the songs! Quality stuff. That kind of rock’n’roll music keeps coming back to me and maybe, unconsciously, it influences my own music. You are what you eat. Nonetheless, it brings me great joy. 

10) What are the plans for for 2021 as far as MOM is concerned? 

Hopefully, 2021 will be good to us. 2020 was good for us too since we released a debut record on a whim that received way more attention than we might have hoped for starting out. In hindsight we were kind of stupid releasing an album in a year like the last one so first off it would be really nice to be able to do some touring this year. We’ve also got a ton of new demos that we want to do something with. Just what exactly is undecided but there will definitely be new music coming this year, that is all I can say for sure. We’ve also found ourselves a drummer so it’s great to finally be able to rehearse a lot together this year. 

11) Do you guys love your Moms? 

Of course, we’re not monsters! Although, it does cause some tension having to give 20% of our revenue to them for the copyright of using their names… By the way, is "mom" a title you get? A role you play? Anyways, we adore our moms, even though they always tell us to make our beds! 

12)   Anything   you   wanna   add? 

Yes! We just got Pleasure Island on CD’s available for purchase through our Bandcamp and we’re working on getting it out to record stores. It will also be available on vinyl through Wanda Records in Germany by early March this year. If your readers like our music then buying the album helps out a great deal for planning a future tour. And thanks for the interview! 

PURCHASE THE VINYL HERE: https://mailorder.wandarecords.de/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20_21&products_id=15116

Pavid Vermin - The Beach Boys Never Surfed! on Jarama 45RPM Recs

In 2019, Glenn Robinson who had already released a slew of albums under his own name decided to reinvent himself as PAVID VERMIN. Since then, he has released around 40 songs spread across three full-lengths, each heavily influenced by the Ramones.

A while a go, Madrid based Jarama 45RPM Recs. released "The Beach Boys Never Surfed" E.P on a very beautiful coloured vinyl. The title track is one killer of a song and worth alone the price of admission. Time for this blog to talk to the man.

For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about Pavid Vermin to introduce yourself? Is this one man band the new incarnation of you? And what, according to you, makes the big difference between the solo artist Glenn Robinson and Pavid Vermin?

Hey Eric! Thanks for having me! Yes, Pavid Vermin is a fairly new incarnation of myself that I started in early 2019. I really wanted to make home recording a possibility again because it’s how I’ve always worked best. It brought me back to being a teenager in my parents’ basement, recording what seemed like an album a week of absolutely ridiculous punk songs. It lowered the stakes even further, allowing me to impulsively cherry-pick from the conveyer belt of stupid ideas running through my head.

I think there are a few minor differences between my previous albums and a Pavid Vermin album. One of them being the sound quality of the recordings. I knew for sure that whatever I recorded by myself would not hold up against those solo albums, so it was a good excuse to start something new. There is also something comforting about hiding behind a name. I was never comfortable using my real name and I have no desire to put my face on anything. Using a band name almost feels like there is less ownership of what I’m doing and it allows me to be more spontaneous and off-the-cuff, which in retrospect, is a feeling I think was lost on my older albums.

About the newly released e.p.,  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?

This is definitely a track by track recording process. I record everything myself in my basement on my computer using very limited resources. I have always been a novice home recording “engineer” (I can’t stress those quotations enough) even though I’ve been doing it for 20 years. I never really learned proper recording techniques or invested in nice equipment. I simply don’t have the attention span to understand it, I find it incredibly tedious and boring. I’d rather be banging out more shitty recordings! 

I do think a lot of these songs would sound cool with a few people making a dirty “live” studio recording! I’d like to give that a shot someday when this pandemic chills the fuck out.

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

Nowadays recording technology 100% haha. I admittedly have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to recording. I am not an engineer by any stretch of the imagination. My set up will make most people cringe: I use Garageband, a PreSonus interface for guitars and a Blue Snowball USB mic for vocals. I also use a First Act children’s bass that has decade old strings on it. I don’t have any studio monitors. I use these ear buds that came with an at-home sonogram kit that has white noise automatically blasting through them at all times. It’s a very simple problem fix, but I just got used to it. I didn’t really realize how weird that might be until right now! I get a kick out of how much I can get out of so little. None of this should work, but in a weird way, it kinda does. 

Who is responsible for this absolutely FABULOUS cover artwork of the E.P.?

That would be the very talented artist, Mario Feal! You should check out his work on Instagram @mariofeal. He was brought on by Bernardo at Jarama 45.

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

At my core, I like writing about things that can make me laugh. I tend to lean on topics like self-deprecation and the drag of a 9-5 job, but in a pretty irreverent way. I’m not sure what it says about me, but I like making fun of things. I like to look for an absurd angle and embellish the shit out of it. It works out perfectly that this type of music certainly lends itself to be lighthearted and silly because I am not naturally a heart-on-my-sleeve kind of songwriter. 

How would you describe Pavid Vermin type of music? Is this still power pop? 

I guess it could be considered power pop! If I breakdown my priorities when I’m writing a song, first and foremost is coming up with a catchy hook. I also like to keep intros and verses as short as possible. I try to keep things quick and concise because nobody has time for a four-minute punk song. So, in that sense, I am primarily writing pop music.  I do feel that true power-pop is much more sophisticated than what I write, though. I think in reality, my music fits in with pre-2000s pop-punk, for fans of the Ramones and band that rip off The Ramones.

Do you have a new video on youtube  featuring a track from the new EP?? 

Yes! Bernardo at Jarama 45RPM put together videos for “The Beach Boys Never Surfed” and “Take Me To Your Leader”. Both have a retro, surf-y, sci-fi feel. My favorite.

 

Do you intend to take Pavid Vermin on the road one day soon and if this happens what can concert goers expect at a gig of Pavid Vermin? Will you be playing any famous cover songs during the gig?

Something I’ve recently come to terms with is that I don’t have much desire to play many shows. Haha. I’ve struggled with that feeling for years because it’s such a vital part of being a musician. It’s where most musicians thrive! I haven’t been on a stage in four years and I very rarely miss it. The people who were in my old band were all great and are some of my closest life-long friends who were all willing and happy to play my songs. That is something that I appreciate to no end. They’re not the issue at all. I just know I’m not a good band leader, and I don’t like telling people what to do or how to play something. I don’t like being the one to book shows or worry about studio time. That’s not fun for me. I love playing music with my friends, but in a more casual setting.

I understand that’s a super lame response! I’m not saying it’ll NEVER happen, I just don’t see myself seeking it out. It could be fun to do a few one-off shows though. As for famous covers; I used to be in a cover band that mainly played famous 90’s alternative songs and that was fun because the stakes were low, and the turnout was high! Basically, I’d rather be a band member who is along for the ride rather leading the way.

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

Totally! Without thinking too much, I’d say I’m kinda similar to musicians like Geoff Palmer and Mikey Erg, and bands like Jagger Holly and anything Dan Vapid related. When I started Pavid Vermin, I was very inspired by Outtacontroller, but they’re from Canada, I think…

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

I found out about punk rock when I was twelve years old. I had already owned albums by Green Day, Rancid and The Ramones for a few years, but I was too young to know exactly what I was listening to. I got heavily into bands like The Dead Milkmen, Descendents and most of the Lookout Records catalog. Aside from punk rock, I was, and still am, really into The Cardigans. I’m still a huge fan of most of the bands I listened to as a teenager and a lot of it shows in my music. I could credit my sound to the likes of any of the bands mentioned above.

What are the plans for 2021 as far as Pavid Vermin are concerned?

2020 was probably my most productive year for releasing music. I had released two albums (Throw Me in The Trash and Cutting Corners) before the pandemic. Haha! Later in the year I released an album of covers from Lookout Records artists and then “The Beach Boys Never Surfed” 7”. My plan was to keep that momentum going into 2021.

I took a break from recording two albums simultaneously. One is a straight forward Pavid Vermin album and the other is based around song titles I got from a Death Metal Song Title generator I found online. The idea is to write the most intentionally poppy music to a completely awkward, grammatically incorrect song title. The idea is half-baked, but I plan to revisit it someday.

Aside from that I have a few releases on the horizon. My album, Cutting Corners will be released on cassette this May by Memorable Not Honorable Tapes. Then, I have a very limited split 7” with my friend Marc’s new project called Phenotypes that should also be out sometime this Spring. Lastly, I’m featured on two songs with J Prozac for an upcoming 7” coming out later this year! 

Anything you wanna add?

Sure! If you’re not interested in my real albums, you should check out my fake albums on Instragram @obscurestvinyl. There’s lots of silliness going on over there. Also, I no longer have access to the Pavid Vermin Facebook page, so pretend that it doesn’t exist. Thanks again for having me!

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE : https://jarama45rpmrecs.bandcamp.com/album/the-beach-boys-never-surfed

PAT TODD & THE RANKOUTSIDERS - "THERE'S PRETTY THINGS IN PALOOKAVILLE"

Hound Gawd! Records in Germany will be releasing next week "THERE'S PRETTY THINGS IN PALOOKAVILLE", the latest full length effort by PAT TODD & THE RANKOUTSIDERS.

As most of the viewers of this blog might know, Pat Todd & the Rankoutsiders are a Los Angeles, California-based  rock band. 

The group was founded by Pat Todd, the former lead singer of the Lazy Cowgirls after their break up in 2004.Read all about it here, in a rare Pat Todd interview. 

1) Pat, I know you are more interested in the "now" than in the past, but I think it's almost impossible to start this interview without at least mentioning that you were the frontman of the LAZY COWGIRLS for over two decades. Round 2004, however, the Cowgirls came to an end. Did you want a radical change by then? And what, according to you, makes the big difference between the LAZY COWGIRLS and Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders? Can you also introduce the other members of the Rankoutsiders and tell us what instrument they are playing?

The Cowgirls ended near the end of 2004 after Japanese & USA tours - a couple of the guys were leaving & I had to decide what I was gonna do - I could’ve just replaced them & kept the name but I decided my name should be on it since it’s really always been my band since the start & I liked the Rankoutsiders as a band name, hence Pat Todd & the Rankoutsiders - and I wanted to wipe the slate clean & start again -  I’d been thinking about asking Nick Alexander to join the Cowgirls so when that ended I asked him to come on board & then we started looking for people while he & I started learning all my new song in my bedroom - this all started about the middle of 2005 & our first show was in early 2007 - as far as the sound & the music I feel like we just kept on the road that I was already going down - a mix of rock’n’roll roll , punk , blues , country & folk - I just wanted to stay inspired & keep getting better & to find other “ lifers “ like my self who wanted play music , not waste time , & to have a life in music - people who wanted to record & play live as much as we can & to stay inspired & grow , & not care about the world thinks one way or the other - the Rankoutsiders are , me on vocals , harmonica & a little acoustic guitar - Nick Alexander on guitar & vocals - Kevin Keller on guitar & vocals - Stephen Vigh on bass guitar & vocals - Walter Phelan on drums & percussion

2) In 2006, Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders debut album, «The Outskirts Of Your Heart» came out as a double CD and 10 years later, at the very end of 2016, the German label Hound Gawd! released it for the very first time on vinyl. How come it took so long? Was the time right in 2016 for a vinyl release and not in 2006?

Actually  “ The Outskiters Of Your Heart “ cd was released on my label Rankoutsider Records in September 2006 as a double cd - the reason it wasn’t released as an album is because I just didn’t have enough money to do it - it’s the same story for our second cd    “ Holdin’ Onto Troubles Hand “ - we didn’t release an LP until our 3rd “ 14th & Nowhere” ( all of these were on Rankoutsider Records ) - we met Oliver of Hound Gawd! Records after that & he went on to release our next “ Blood & Treasure “ & our last one  “ The Past Came Callin’  “ - it was Oliver’s idea to release the “ Outskirts “ as an LP ( it’s also planned to release “ Troubles Hands “ as a double LP sometime).

3) About your latest CD/LP "THERE'S PRETTY THINGS IN PALOOKAVILLE", 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? Can you also explain the choice of the title? 

We record live in the studio with me singing , but if we need to redo a guitar, bass  or lead vocal we do & then we do the background vocals after - we try & keep it as real as we can , but we’ll do whatever we think is best for the songs - no hard & fast rules - as far as the LPs title “ there’s pretty things in Palookaville “ goes it’s the first phrase of the song  “ Read’em & Weep “ & I thought it was a good title , but you probably wanna know what it means to me , well I drive around Los Angeles for my job & you see the everyday world & all its people ( that’s Palookaville ) but if you look closely you can see a few beautiful things there ( sometimes people & sometimes ideas )

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

We record digitally - we can’t afford to use tape.

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

I’ve been a music fan since I was a kid - my mom played records & had the radio on all the time - I would have to say that my main influences would be the last 100 years of music focusing of rock’n’roll, punk , blues , country & folk like I said before ( they’re all the same to me anyway ) - as far three favorites I have to say The Rolling Stones , Bob Dylan & the New York Dolls as I think they all contain all that I mentioned before.

6) As the main composer in the band how do you work? Do you come at the rehearsal with a full prepared song (music and lyrics) or is everybody involved in one way or another?

I usually bring in songs already written, music & lyrics done but not always - I always have at least the vocal idea & the melody & the basic arrangement but everybody contributes - I wanna hear everyone’s ideas, it makes it fun & gets everyone involved - but it all comes down to my decision, I have to like & believe in the song & feel it has some of “ the truth “ in it or I just can’t do the song.

7) When starting to write a new song, what is your favorite topic/topic that comes easily?

Anything & everything - I guess that there's no such thing as “the truth” but I want my songs to have something of the truth to them, some real life in them for lack of better term - anything & everything that I see, hear, feel, read & whatever I’m going through & whatever I see other people going through ... In the world really.

8) Is there any video on YOUTUBE made to promote one of the songs of the "HERE'S PRETTY THINGS IN PALOOKAVILLE" album? 

No , we wanted to get some kinda video together for a couple of songs but COVID put a stop to that - maybe next album.

9) What can concert goers expect at a Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders? Are you playing any famous cover songs? By public request, are you every now and then playing a song from the LAZY COWGIRLS records or is this totally out of the question? 

When the Rankoutsiders play live it’s a pretty high energy type show - we try to give it all we’ve got - we don’t do any Cowgirls songs - in the Cowgirls we always moved forward & the Rankoutsiders do the same - you’ve got to play the music that you wanna do & not be a jukebox - to me it shows  respect for anyone who listens to the band - I think nostalgia is the enemy of any kind of truth & art - the past can be great but I can’t see living in it even though a lot of people want you to do that.

10) In your discography I noticed a similarity between the very beautiful artwork of "Blood and Treasure" and the artwork used for "A little sex and death" CD? Is this by the same artist? Are you particularly interested in Pulp Covers art?

Yes it’s the same artist , but it was a happy accident , it wasn’t planned -& yes I like this kind of art but don’t want it to become something everyone expects from us - both pieces of art just happened to fit the titles of each of those albums - I do like pulp art but I also like all kinds of art, from fine art to low brow.

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

No not really , but that being said I guess we are part of the worldwide rock’n’roll underground ( whatever that means ) & I enjoy being part of that.

12) What are the plans for the rest of 2021 as far as Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders are concerned?

In 2021 we hope to start playing shows & get to Europe & any other part of the world we can - we’re gonna be releasing a few singles & EP’s this year in England , Spain, Italy , Poland & the USA - we have about 30 songs in the can that we're working on for these releases & for our  next album.

13) Anything you would like to add?

We hope to see & meet you all down the road

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE: https://www.houndgawd.com/shop/en/SHOPe/Vinyl/Pat-Todd-The-Rankoutsiders-there-s-pretty-things-in-Palookaville-oxid.html

The LP will be available in regular black vinyl or in a limited edition on pink vinyl.

Special Thanks to Oliver for making this happen.

K7'S - "MONDO BIZARRO"

In their own words, K7s are a Pop Punk band from Spain. Their sugary sweet, hook laden, power-chords, encompass elements of punk, power pop, and garage rock. Throw a dash of Ramones, a sprinkle of MTX, a touch of Green Day, The Queers and The Muffs into a blender, and you’ll get where they are coming from. 

So one day or another these guys were bound to cover a RAMONES album. Read all about the reasons why they picked MONDO BIZAZZO in particular.

1) For the viewers of this blog who would not know you, What would you tell about K7s to introduce yourselves? How long are you guys together as a band?  Who is playing what instrument in the band nowadays?

KURT: Hi, I'm Kurt! I've known Luis for many years and we are good buddies. One day he asked me to play some bass on a ton of songs he had written and eventually that became K7s. Normally I play bass, but for the "Mondo" record I just sang vocals because I had leant my bass to a guy I know, and then Spain went into a covid lockdown immediately after so I had no way of getting the bass back until many many months later. Fun story, I know! haha!

LUIS: K7s started as a project I had with Jose Andres (drummer in a well known spanish band, called “Airbag”). We wanted to record some songs together just for fun. I started writing some tunes and they came out very fast so I decided to write some more. When we had enough material I talked to Kurt to see if he could check the lyrics for corrections. He loved the songs and I asked him if he wanted to join the band right away. We recorded the first bunch of songs in 2017 and we were so happy with the result that started sending the songs to some labels (Lou at RumBar Records, Stefan at Stardumb Records and Ryan at Jolly Ronnie Records). That’s how it all started. It all came in a very natural way not having any expectations at all. After “Take 1” was released, I asked Raul Artana to join us as second guitar.

2) About the latest released full length record "MONDO BIZARRO",  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?

LUIS: It was a track by track thing with everyone recording their parts at home and sending them to me. I had no previous experience producing an album, but we had some much time on our hands ‘cause of the quarantine that I could learn a bit how to do it. I’m so happy with the result. Maybe it was beginner’s luck but I think it sounds pretty good, don’t you think?

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

LUIS: Usually, we like to do a mix between analog and digital technology but this particular record had to be 100% digital ‘cause of the situation we were in.

4) MONDO BIZARRO is certainly not the best know RAMONES album. Why did you guys choose to cover this one in particular?

KURT: It might not be the best known RAMONES album, but for me it's definitely one of their best records. It doesn't have much filler, if any, and SIDE B is just flat out awesome. The songs, the performance and the production is top notch. I think this album doesn't get the respect it deserves because it was one of their later albums and probably a lot of folks considered the RAMONES "past their prime", but the irony is that they actually made one of their best records in the 90's, not the 70's! Well, that's my opinion at least. I think we all agreed that this would be a great album to cover because 1. We all love this record and 2. Nobody had recorded a tribute to it yet to our knowledge.

LUIS: MONDO BIZARRO is an amazing album. The albums the RAMONES released in the second part of the 80s weren’t as solid as their previous efforts and then, when nobody was expecting anything from them (remember Dee Dee had left the band by then), they released Mondo. Amazing songs, great sound and new energy coming from the “new guy”, CJ Ramone.

5) What is your favorite song on this Ramones album?

KURT: That's a tough one. It's a toss up between "I Won't Let It Happen" and "Strength to Endure". Or Maybe "Poison Heart", or "Tomorrow She Goes Away". I hate these types of questions, lol. 

LUIS: “Posion Heart” would be the obvious choice as it is one of my favorite Ramones songs, but I also love “Censorshit” and “I Won’t Let It Happen”. But it is so hard to choose ‘cause I think it is a perfect album.

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.

KURT: ABBA, Cheap Trick, The Beatles. I loved those bands as a teenager, and I still love them today. Extremely influential to me. 

LUIS: I started really appreciating music listening to The Beatles when I was 10. I started to search for similar bands from the 60s like The Kinks, The Who or The Beach Boys. A couple of years later, a friend of mine gave me a cassette tape with Ramonesmania on it. That moment changed my life.

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

KURT: I'm not sure we do. If anybody wants to make one for us that would be cool! 

LUIS: It is so hard for us to get videos done. We all live so far away from each other. Jose is in Malaga, Kurt in Madrid and Raul and I in Castellon. When we get together we record or play shows, no time for promo stuff, but we will find a way to work it out in the future.

8) What can concert goers expect at a K7s gig? Are you gonna play this covers album in full.

KURT: Is there such a thing as a "Concert Goer" in 2021? Hahaha. I'd like to meet them! But seriously, in the past when we've played live, our shows are fun, fast and full of energy. Pogo time! It would be really cool to do "Mondo" live in its entirety! Someday! Fingers crossed.

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

LUIS: The problem in Spain is that the english level is not very good. So bands mostly sing in spanish and that way it is hard to be heard outside the country. We have some great bands like F.A.N.T.A. I’m pretty sure if they sung in english they’d be a huge band internationally. The Budweisers release a great album on 2020 and they do sing in english.

10) What are the plans for the rest of 2021 as far as K7s is concerned? Are you preparing a record of your own songs?

LUIS: Yes, we’re working hard on the follow-up of “Take 1”. We already have a lot of songs but need to write some more so we can choose the best of them. It is a long process but I think the more songs you leave out, the better album you get. And that’s what we’re trying to achieve, a great album. 

Regarding live shows, I don’t think we’ll be able to do anything until 2022. A punk-rock show can’t be done with social distancing so we’ll wait until we can do it properly.

11) Anything you wanna add?

KURT: Keep on rockin'! Thanks!

LUIS: Thanks for your time, buddy! Oh, and also, “Hey Ho, Let’s Go!”

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE: https://www.stardumbrecords.com/products/k7s-mondo-bizarro-lp

Scandinavian Flavor - Psychotic Youth / Tommy And The Rockets

Spanish label Snap Records recently released the aptly titled Split LP "Scandinavian Flavor".

The LP features two of the finest bands from Northern Europe's rock'n'roll scene covering old favorites mostly dating from the area 77/83. 

On one side, you have Swedish veterans  Psychotic Youth. On the other, you have Denmark's best known one man band, Tommy and the Rockets. Tommy was kind enough to answer a few questions regarding this particular album. 

1) For the viewers of this blog What can you tell about this split record with PSYCHOTIC YOUTH? Who came up with the idea? The bands involved or the label?

The initial idea was Jörgen's (singer from Psychotic Youth). He also got the label and the cover artist on board, so all credit goes to him :-)

2) How did you get in touch with Lucy who is singing the Kim Wylde tune "Chequered Love"  with you? Did you actually meet her or was it done remotely?

Geoff Palmer who mixed my side of the split had done some stuff with Lucy, and it was his suggestion to get her to sing on the song. I'm not even sure how her vocals were recorded, but I can only assume she recorded them in London where she lives. Geoff lives in the US, so...

3) Did you record your side of the record at home or did you go to a recording studio?

I recorded everything but the drums here at home. Mike from DeeCracks recorded the drums in a proper studio (Elephantwest Audio) in Austria.

4) After the 2018 record "I Wanna Be Covered", people gonna start to believe that TOMMY and THE ROCKETS are ONLY specialized in covers. What are you answering to that?

Haha yeah, that might be true. I've done a lot of covers lately. I've always been a huge fan of cover songs, and I'm not ashamed to admit it, haha. But don't worry, new original stuff is being worked on as I type this.

5) Are there any songs left over that you had prepared for this record and did not make it to the record?

None that were mixed, no. I did record some raw demos, but I sorta gave up on them early on. Maybe I'll re-visit them another time. Starry Eyes by The Records, I Found A Love by Phil Seymour, Take It As A Man by The Yankees, just to name a few.

6) What are the plans for 2021 as far as you're  concerned? Are you working on a new album with personal songs?

As I mentioned above, I'm working on a bunch of originals. There's a new full-length in the pipeline and some other releases I can't elaborate on just yet.

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

Just a video with the song itself. I haven't really dipped my toes into the whole "proper" music video production world yet.

 

8) Are you gonna put a band together and perform this album on the road?

I'd love to! Maybe when the world gets back to normal.

09) Anything you wanna add regarding this particular split album?

Fun fact about all the nationalities involved with the making of this album:

Psychotic Youth (Sweden)

Tommy And The Rockets (Denmark)

Snap Records (Spain)

Artwork - Niklas Wrångberg (Sweden)

Artwork (test pressing) - Alfredo Prados (Spain)

Guest Drums - Mike Dee Crackus (Austria)

Guest Vocals - Lucy Ellis (Australia)

Mastering - Perry Leenhouts (Netherlands)

Mastering/Mixing - Christian Jacobsen (Norway)

Mixing - Geoff Palmer (USA)

Mixing - Nille Perned (Sweden)

Co-producer - Chips Kiesbye (Sweden)

Photography - Bente Helgeneseth (Norway)

Photography - Roine Lundström (Sweden)

Pressing Plant - GZ Media (Czech Republic)

PURCHASE IT HERE : https://tommyandtherockets.bandcamp.com/album/scandinavian-flavor

or HERE :

https://snaprecordsspain.bandcamp.com/album/tommy-the-rockets-psychotic-youth-scandinavian-flavor-split-funlp-035

Goin' Places - Save the World

Formed in May 2000 and hailing from Staten Island, New York, GOIN' PLACES is moving at its own pace. They released their first record, "Girl Songwriting 101" in October 2002. Played some shows, made some movies. Released their second record, "Relationship Sneakers" in February 2012. And now in 2021, their latest and greatest:  "Save The World" including 16 brand new songs! Time for your favorite blog to talk to these guys. Here it goes:

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

Richie:  I'm Richie Holes.  I play guitar and sing in Goin' Places.  We are a band that started out writing just-for-fun type music.  The songwriting developed and grew over time. 

Frank:  Goin' Places is a pop punk band from Staten Island, NY.  We formed in May of 2000 and have had the same lineup from the beginning.  I'm Frank and I play the bass.

Victor: We started playing music we loved 20 years ago and still are playing the same type of music today.  I'm Victor and I play drums and sing.

2) About the latest released full length record "Save the World",  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? 

Frank:  "Save The World" was recorded over several months in 2019 at Richie's studio, Good Good Studios. 

Richie:  "Save The World" was recorded track by track, just like our previous 2 albums.  The album is consistent with the traditional rock stereo sound:  Drums, Bass, Vocals, Lead Guitars in the middle, Rhythm guitar #1 on the left, and Rhythm guitar #2 on the right.

Victor: Not a lot of overdubs just lots of hard work to get it the way we wanted it.

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

Richie:  We use digital recording technology.  All of our recordings were digital, going back to "Girl Songwriting 101" and "Warm Up".  Analog is pretty awesome as well.  We just started at a time where digital was the way to go.  These days, as someone who loves technology (even outside of music), recording digitally is a no-brainer for me.

Victor: Richie is a master with the digital technology.   He does amazing mixes.

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

Frank:  This has varied from album to album.  Our first record was written mostly as a group at practices.  Our 2nd album featured more songs written as individuals (approximately 75% were written by Richie and 25% written by Victor).  The new album was written entirely by Richie.

Richie:  Yes, though Frank did write the lyrics to "Live Those Times". 

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

Victor: There are no specific topics that I have in mind when I write.   Whatever inspires me at the moment when I am in a writing mood gets written.

Richie:  For me, it's usually something that bothers me.  A few examples come to mind: not getting the girl, anxiety, regret.

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. 

Richie:  I still listen to the same music I did as a teenager: any kind of rock - punk rock, pop-punk, rock n roll, rock, etc.  My favorite bands are still Green Day and the Beatles - but I also love many other bands: Screeching Weasel, MTX, the Queers, NOFX, the Beach Boys, Guns N' Roses, Bad Religion, and the list goes on and on...  The 3 bands I consider that still have an influence on our work today:  Green Day, the Beatles, Screeching Weasel.

Frank:  Bands like Green Day, the Ramones, Screeching Weasel, the Queers, Mr. T Experience, Huntingtons, Riverdales, as well as older groups like the Beatles, Buddy Holly and the Beach Boys were a big influence on me back then and still are today.  

Victor: I agree with Frank.  I grew up listening to the early 90's rock on the radio such as Nirvana and Green Day.  I got into the Lookout bands after that and I never turned back.  I still love listening to the bands from that era and music that was inspired by it.

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

Frank:  We have released several promo videos for singles from the new album, including 2 lyric videos and a traditional music video.  They can all be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/GoinPlacesMusic

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

Frank:  A typical Goin' Places show is usually a high energy 30 minute set featuring 13 or 14 songs.  Our setlists mainly feature our own material, but we usually throw in at least one cover song to keep things fun.  We have been known to cover the Beatles, Screeching Weasel, Chuck Berry and a few others.  We have also played some special shows over the years where we did complete cover sets of different groups or genres.

Richie:  You can also expect the unexpected.   We try to come up with new things to keep it fresh.  In the past, we've had random merch giveaways, our own olive oil brand, a poster of a certain commercial soft drink girl, Beatles wigs, suits, special guest vocalists, pretend guitarists, and more.

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

Frank:  As far as active bands, I think we have some things in common with bands like the Beatnik Termites, the Mr. T Experience, the Huntingtons and the Queers. 

Richie:  "I would also add Screeching Weasel and the early sound from Green Day".

10) What are the plans for the rest of 2021 as far as Goin' Places is concerned?

Frank:  We just want to promote our new album "Save The World" as much as possible right now.  Since shows aren't happening anytime soon due to Covid, we are relying on interviews like this to help us spread the word.

Richie:  We hope to be able to play a show in 2021 if the world opens up this year.  It will be our official record release show, even if it's months after we released "Save The World".  Songwriting has begun for our next album.  I'm excited about the future of Goin' Places.

11) Anything you wanna add?

Frank:  We are Goin' Places...

Richie:  And you are not!!

PURCHASE THE GOODIES HERE:  CD (Japan) available from Waterslide Records

watersliderecords.net?pid=157552662