SUCKA PANTS

GOT THAT MEAN METH MOUTH

2008-05-09T01:57:00.005-04:00

(photos from the recent Group Taxidermy Collage)

I had written this a week ago, well before I knew I would be attending the event pictured above. Kinda funny, I think.

"It's strange how the end of a chapter in your life can sneak up on you and happen suddenly. Sort of like roadkill you'd been saving to taxidermy, it hits a point where you get a whiff and you know it's just too late."

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MP3:

A very nice rendition of this classic. For some reason I can't get too excited about Jose Gonzalez's original songs, but when he does a cover he just kills it every time.

• Jose Gonzalez & Junip - Ghost Of Tom Joad

A band's place in myspace.

INSTINCTS: 271, CURIOSITY: 0

2008-05-05T15:16:00.006-04:00

I've heard from a lot of people how great this film (Who Is Bozo Texino) is, but have yet to see it. So here's another chance in NYC.

And if you're in the mood for things old-timey and western, there's a pretty cool slide show on the NY Times website about modern cowboys. They are photographed (with the same technique as the original era of the Great West) and get a chance to talk a bit.

:::

Bill Daniel's "Mostly True" Book Release and Film Screening

Tuesday, May 6, 7:30 PM
Maysles Cinema
347 Lenox Ave./MLK Blvd. between 127th &128th st.

Bill Daniel will be releasing his brand new book Mostly True, a collection of enigmatic railroad folklore and screening his freight hopping movie Who is Bozo Texino? as well as a grab bag of train subculture shorts.

Many of you may know and love Bill Daniel's amazing film Who Is Bozo Texino?, which chronicles the search for the source of a ubiquitous and mythic rail graffiti sketch of a character with an infinity-shaped hat and the scrawled moniker, "Bozo Texino"- a drawing seen on railcars for 80 years. The film was shot over a period of 20 years and features interviews with hobo graffiti legends Colossus of the Roads, The Rambler, Herby (RIP) and others.

Mostly True is the book companion to Who is Bozo Texino? Styled like a 1930's pulp magazine, the book is an enigmatic compilation of railroad ephemera, a ticket for time travel back to the roots of American rail folklore. The book is a direct product of 25 years of asystematically collecting any scrap of material relating to the ideas of tramping trains, hobo life, and depression-era culture and graffiti (with a small g).

:::

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MP3:

Here are two versions of a traditional song, "When I Was A Young Girl." So the question is, which one do you like better?

• Hally Wood - When I Was A Young Girl

• Feist - When I Was A Young Girl

A band's place in myspace.

IF YOU WEREN'T THERE, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN

2008-05-02T00:34:00.010-04:00

(photos from SXSW 2008, Matt & Kim, The Death Set, Parts & Labor, The Death Set at Todd P's midnight acoustic BBQ show, Dan Deacon + Jimmy Joe Roche's Ultimate Reality, Team Robespierre, High On Fire, Motorhead, Children, The Death Set (portrait), Dark Meat, Juiceboxxx, Best Fwends, Ninjasonik, Best Fwends + Matt, The Death Set, Diplo, Hot Water Music, Mika Miko, Matt & Kim, Newmore Switchblades (group portrait), 1349, X, World Inferno Friendship Society, Mr. Free, Mark and Johnny, Monotonix, NOFX, Knyfe, Hyts, Annihilation Time, GZA, Dark Meat, Mixhell, Spank Rock + Diplo + Blaq Starr, Spank Rock, Ninjasonik,a larger gallery can be found here)

This post from SXSW is only a few months late (thanks to shitty iPods who like to lose my files). Kind of takes the wind out of it's sails, a lot. But hey, better late than never. With the 5-minute lifespan the internet affords anything, you kind of just have to think of it in the context of "posterity," I guess.

SXSW 2008

The List:

- Already bleeding the first two days there. Day 1: stabbed by a cactus while rushing to show, blood oozes down arm and hand. Day 2: cracked good by a crowd surfer at Motorhead, small head wound.
- Huge blisters on my pinkie toes (love you Vans, but you're shitty shoes for doing a lot of walking in).
- Finding that the $600 badges don't actually help with much if you tend to go to unofficial shows.
- Waiting in line for two hours to see High On Fire and Motorhead.
- Walking forever and getting lost trying to find Todd P's midnight acoustic show.
- Getting tricked into getting up way too early to see Hot Water Music, who turned out to be playing seven hours later than listed.
- Team Robespierre inserting my name into a song, and it still rhymed!
- All the young kids being confused after Dan Deacon's set with Jimmy Joe Roche's Ultimate Reality as to when Dan Deacon was going to play.
- Todd P. sharing his ice cream in the middle of the Matt & Kim craziness.
- After-party with Diplo DJing and rooftop-into-pool jumping.
- Seeing X perform in a giant TV studio.
- Naked guy (Mr. Free) performing with a rubber chicken head over his junk at the late night bridge show.
- Getting totally soaked (as in SOAKED) in beer at Dark Meat.
- Picking up the So So Glos (who were walking) a couple miles outside of town on their way to Todd P's super-secet after-after-party, it was still a good few miles to go.
- Todd P's super-secet after-after-party in a parking lot with perfomances by Spank Rock, Diplo, Blaq Starr, Ninjasonik and Deer Tick.

The Awards:

- Best new band: Monotonix.
- Bands I was most excited to see: tie between X and Motorhead.
- Best unexpected surprise: seeing 1349.
- Nicest staff: Emo's.
- Nastiest staff: the Vice after party (duh).
- Most over-the-top aggro security: Mohawk.
- Most annoying: aggressive audience members and even one photographer grabbing at my camera during shows.
- Most useful thing about me for others: designated driver.
- Biggest surprise: that the Vice "after party" started before midnight while all the other shows were still going on (dudes must be getting too old to stay out late anymore).
- Best quote: "What do you get when you take frat boys, dress them up in Urban Outfitters, and then get them wasted on free booze? The Vice after party."
- Most hated on: JellyNYC.
- Most complimented: Todd P.
- Best large-scale show: Mess With Texas.
- Best small-scale show: Todd P.
- Best moment I only heard about: Johnny from the Death Set throwing his amp into the pool while performing at the Garage.
- Best moment I was actually there for: Diplo, Spank Rock and Blaq Starr perfoming together in a parking lot at Todd P's super-secret after-after-party.
- Most attractive crowd: Metal Mansion.
- Best food: Best Wurst.
- Worst food: nowhere to get breakfast after 11am.
- Nicest amenity: tie between having an official press badge and getting to stay in Death Set's hotel room (thanks again guys!).
- Amenity most needed: shoes that didn't give me blisters.
- Band that reminds me how much I like them every time I see them: tie between Matt & Kim and Bon Iver.
- Biggest realization: that pursuing concert photography is a big waste of my time (So if you're getting sick of all the live band shots, relief is on the way). Unfortunately I'm kind of serious. I think I take decent photos, and get pretty good feedback, but figuring out a way to get a tiny slice of the modestly-paying pie has turned out to be too elusive for me. It's something I love to do, so I can't see myself hanging it up, but a re-evalutaion of how I spend my time and energy is in order. I never asked for or expected much, but zero is a lot less than not much. So I guess we'll see what happens. Do I even know how to take anything besides band photos anymore?

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MP3:

This is one of my favorite local bands to go see in crowded basements. Okay, favorite local bands to see in crowded basements where I DON'T get moshed into oblivion.

• Rejouissance - Our War With Faith

• Rejouissance - The Race

A band's place in myspace.

WE'D ALL SEEN BETTER DAYS

2008-04-30T00:37:00.004-04:00

Friday night is a busy night if you like good art. Personal favorites of mine are showing work in three different places all on one night. Get on your bike and get 'er done.

:::

Best and Brightest: The Chief Spring Showcase
FRIDAY, MAY 2nd

7pm-10pm
hosted bar

exhibited photography by:

Jeff Barnett-Winsby
Jaimie Warren
Brad Troemel
Maxim Ryazansky
Santiago Mostyn

music provided by:
DJ Rev McFly

@ The ARM
281 N.7th St & Havemeyer/Meeker
BKNY

:::

Ad Hoc Art proudly presents...

THE THREAT OF CHANCE

starring:
Josh MacPhee
Billy Mode
Chris Stain
The Polaroid Kidd

May 2nd through June 1st, 2008
Opening Reception: Friday, May 2nd, 7pm - 10pm

The Threat of Chance art exposition is based on the temptation of possibility. The possibility of change in the face of stagnation, the possibility of hope in desperate times, the possibility of alternative thought and lifestyle in the doldrums of complacency.

For this installation a railroad shanty town will be recreated to further emphasis the struggle between hope and despair. Amidst a gallery filled of shacks made with found material and walls decorated with freight trains and decaying industry you will find photographs by boxcar culture enthusiast the Polaroid Kidd. Proletarian signs, flags, prints, and banners from author/activist Josh MacPhee. Interactive sculptures, drawings, paintings and stencils, from graffiti artist Billy Mode, and the sociological display of hand cut stencils by Chris Stain. The Threat of Chance art exposition is pure socialist propaganda , (at least that's how the mainstream will see it) , so stop by opening night and they'll tear you a new asshole.

-pollock johnny

Ad Hoc Art
49 Bogart Street
Buzzer 22, Unit 1G
Brooklyn, NY 11206

Afterparty from 10pm until 4am at:

Wreck Room Bar
940 Flushing Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11206

:::

Busy As A Rainbow
Photographs by Lauren Silberman
ICP-Bard MFA Thesis solo show

Reception: Friday May 2nd, 7-11pm

ICP-Bard Studios
24-20 Jackson Ave
Long Island City, NY

Take the E/V train to 23rd St/Ely Ave, the 7 train to 45th Ave/Courthouse Square, or G train to Court Square

:::

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MP3:

Wow. When someone uses this song in a movie it's going to be pretty great.

• Band Of Horses - St. Augustine

A band's place in myspace.

EVERY DAY IS A NEW GOODBYE

2008-04-28T23:22:00.001-04:00

(photos from the Miss Rockaway Armada's time in North Adams, MA)

Going to toot my own horn for a second (cause like my friend says "Who else is gonna do it for you?"). You can see a photo spread of my medium format work from China in the new issue of Death & Taxes. It's a nice mag, with fine design and production quality.

Also this is kind of interesting, seems like the RIAA's era of organized-crime-style extortion may be in for a challenge. Although I have to say it's been a long time since my faith in our justice system had even a scrap of evidence to support it. Hopeful, but not holding my breath.

Here's a video Dark Dark Dark performing at the same backyard BBQ as in the photos above:

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MP3:

Wanted something with the right amount of dust and grit in it to match some of the characters in the photos above. This seemed to fit just right.

• The Devil Makes Three - Old Number Seven

A band's place in myspace.

YOU'RE BUILDING A GHOST TOWN

2008-04-27T14:29:00.005-04:00

(Monotonix, When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth, Double Dagger, and Power Douglas at Death By Audio this past weekend)

The Monotonix show was pretty fun. I was really curious to see what the TV On The Radio/Dragons Of Zynth collaboration, Power Douglas, would be like. Besides not featuring members from either band at all, it was kind of noisy, jangly, but more than anything it seemed to be a cathartic exercise for two of the members. About midway through their set the bass player grabbed a mic and ranted about the miscarriage of justice (or abortion, if you will) that was the recent Sean Bell verdict. After that it got more chaotic, with him falling into the crowd, and eventually smashing his bass and throwing himself into the drums/drummer. The tension in the room was almost palpable, although it didn't seemed to have anything to do with the crowd. It was more just two extremely expressive and unabashed performers exercising demons and not giving a damn what anyone thought.

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MP3:

Double Dagger has been getting some press love just very recently, but these guys have been killing it for a long time. I remember back when they started and most (if not all) of their songs were about graphic design. If you haven't caught them before, and you appreciate something with teeth, don't miss them next time. And if you wear glasses and don't like people messing with them, you might want to put them away during the set. Just sayin'.

• Double Dagger - Luxury Condos For The Poor

• Double Dagger - Form Function

A band's place in myspace.

KIDS WITH POWER TOOLS

2008-04-26T02:42:00.004-04:00

(photos from Being Here Is Better Than Wishing We'd Stayed, and installation by the Miss Rockaway Armada at Mass MoCA, larger photo gallery of the installation here)

Well we have finally finished our stay and installation at Mass MoCA. Being Here Is Better Than Wishing We’d Stayed is now open through April 2009. We all had a blast, and are extremely grateful to the museum and it’s staff for offering this opportunity. Spending time together with some old, and old-new friends in North Adams was also pretty great. Hopefully I'll have some photos from our non-working moments (and they were just that, moments) to share soon.

Here's a video walkthrough:

And here's Dark Dark Dark performing with Long Gone Gabe at the opening:

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MP3:

This was the official/unofficial theme song of the installation, the refrain should sound familiar. The title is also appropriate for this post seeing as I am finally returning to NYC to stay (for a while, anyway).

• Dark Dark Dark - New York Song

A band's place in myspace.

COPS ARE CROOKS OF CONVENIENCE

2008-04-25T12:52:00.005-04:00

Being back in Brooklyn = more parties! And you've got two to chose from tonight (rock VS dance), unless you are of the ambitious do-it-all party-hopper type. I think I am getting too old for that, personally. But I will probably change my mind when it gets warmer and my bike gets less rusty.

:::

From
Chief Mag:
We're having a dance party on Friday!

ZIPCO XXVII (a birthday party)
FRIDAY, April 25th

DJ Teen Wolf
DJ RevMcfly

@ Post
172 N.1st & Bedford/Driggs
BKNY

No Cover
Free Whiskey 10-11pm

It's a birthday party for Chief's very own Senior Editor, Mr. Ed Zipco!

:::

====> FRIDAY 4/25 @ DEATH BY AUDIO <====

:: Power Douglas -------> new band w/ dudes from TVOTR & Dragons of Zynth
:::: Monotonix ----------> crazy fúcks from Israel
:::::: When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth
:::::::: Ruined Frame ------> Baltimore, mems New Flesh & Yukon
:::::::::: Lidia Stone

[
DEATH BY AUDIO ]
49 S 2nd St btwn Wythe & Kent | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L to Bedford, JM to Marcy, G to Metropolitan | 8pm | $7 | ALL AGES

:::

PS. Cops in the Sean Bell case were found not guilty, and the EPA will not be held responsible for it's blatant lies about the safety of the air quality at Ground Zero. Apparently Justice is on Spring Break too.

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MP3:

Something more protest-oriented might be better suited considering the two little news bits above, but honestly I'll look for any excuse to post a version of this song.

• Jamie T - A New England

A band's place in myspace.

THE CHEEZY SLEAZY

2008-04-23T14:28:00.002-04:00

A good friend of mine and Ninjasonik frontman, Jahjah, is throwing a weekly over at Happy Endings (previous home of the Shit Hammered party). Now that I am back in NYC, this seems like a good way to get back into the swing of things.

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MP3:

Pretty nice remix here, happy and upbeat, good for gettin' your Spring on.

• Dre Skull - I Want You Back

A band's place in myspace.

AND A LITTLE BIT OF ENTROPY

2008-04-16T02:03:00.003-04:00

(photos from the still-in-progress installation Being Here Is Better Than Wishing We'd Stayed by The Miss Rockaway Armada at Mass MoCA)

It's interesting building things with materials that spiders go running out of when you pick them up.

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MP3:

One thing that can be a pain about making posts is all the different things I have to complete (title, photos, content, mp3). Not just a quick little task, ever. So here are some Norwegians that are reminiscent of their geographical neighbors Dungen. Good too.

• Ungdomskulen - Modern Drummer (Final Edit)

A band's place in myspace.

WITH YOUR HAUNTED SMILE

2008-04-15T01:59:00.007-04:00

(photos from a little field trip from Mass MoCA during installation)

We're in the final week of installation at Mass MoCA. The crew is really together, even if we have a mountain of things left to accomplish in time for the Friday opening. No matter what happens, it already looks pretty darn cool. Now just wish me luck teaching myself how to turn slide shows into looping DVDs and we are one step closer.

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MP3:

This is one of the bands that shares members with the Miss Rockaway Armada. You can see more of them on the Miss Rockaway blog, and listen to them here.

This is from Todd Chandler, one half of Fall Harbor:

"this song was written in collaboration with my grandfather who passed away in the mid-nineties. at first, i was writing a song about my grandfather's death and my memories of him, but i was really stuck on the last verse. i just couldn't figure out how to end it so i put the song away. soon after that i found an envelope buried under some papers in a drawer. in it was some poetry that my grandfather had written for his own father shortly after his death. the last verse fit perfectly as an end to the song i had been so stuck on. it just made sense-- my grandfather remembering his father and me remembering him."

• Fall Harbor - Memory Dear

A band's place in myspace.

GETTIN' SEXY WITHOUT YOU

2008-04-12T00:18:00.013-04:00

(the second half of Skull By Skull Now, a full gallery can be found here, part of it is VERY 18+/NSFW)

Figure now is as good a time as any to post the list to date, seeing as we are past the halfway mark for our time here at Mass MoCA.

- Being in the museum late at night, when no one's around.
- "Ol' Stabby" stabbing "Knife Knife" at the Sol LeWitt's assistants' welcome party. It was okay though, Knife Knife cleaned up all his own blood.
- George almost getting busted dumpstering at Dunkin' Donuts by a cop who pulled up, but didn't notice him since he was staring intently at the drive-thru menu.
- Exploring very-abandoned building 17.
- Communal meals with live musical accompaniment.
- 3 out of my 10 fingers covered in bandages, and we're only halfway through.
- The next party we attend gets transformed into a dance party at our urging (more like take over), and ends with pouring beer on people and throwing cans. The next day rumors of a girl getting hit with a can and running home crying circulate. They are greatly overstated.
- Sneaking in (with assistance) to see Stephen Malkmus and John Vanderslice perform at the museum. Vanderslice wasn't bad.
- Exploring the hills around town, in a soft drizzle.
- Turns out the artist housing we are staying in is directly across the street from a corner store drug front. A bizarre parade of shadies and a busy back-alley continue outside my window.
- Waiting in line at the hardware store, the man in front of me makes a "fuckin' homos" comment. Then promptly corrects himself with "Oh, yeah, not s'posed to say that out loud anymore, right?"
- Dumpstering in North Adams is pretty much a wholesale bust.
- Rumor of a Tuesday midnight Dunkin Donuts tranny rendezvous turns out to be a rumor after all.
- Being accused of stealing coffee from the Museum's cafe when I stop to add more sugar to the coffee I brought from home in my travel mug.
- Half-price sushi night at Jae's in Williamstown.
- Accidentally bursting in to the Jenny Holzer installation through a side stairwell when the other door we came in through locks behind us. (It was a total "whooooaaaaaa" moment, like opening a door directly into the expansive void of outer space. Okay maybe not that whoa).
- The irony of having a ragtag bunch of artists (us) installing at the same time as a relatively hoity-toity group is here to work on the Sol LeWitt installation.
- Watching documentaries about post-Katrina Mississippi/New Orleans and regretting for the millionth time not going down there right after it happened instead of continuing my travels abroad.
- Holly Hardman, the filmmaker behind Left Behind In Louisiana giving a bad Q & A. People walking out in the middle of it.

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MP3:

Can't believe I totally forgot to post these guys after seeing them at CMJ. And then forgot AGAIN after SXSW. Sigh. Well we're fixing that now, and to make it up I'm going double.

• Health - Heaven

• Health - Crimewave (Crystal Castles VS Health Remix)

A band's place in myspace.

BITIN' SO HARD YOU'RE BREAKIN' TEETH

2008-04-10T12:22:00.006-04:00

(photos from Skull By Skull Now in Austin, part one of two, gallery to come)

So I am finally catching up with some of the crazy stuff from March in Austin. To the Skidmarxxx credit, this is the first time in the almost four years I've been doing this that I have had to break up something into two posts, that's how awesome it was. This is part one, the bike part. Part two is coming, the backyard moshing and mud wrestling part. Get your pants back on, get comfortable, get ready.

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MP3:

I came across this on Said The Gramophone and was quickly reminded how good this guy is.

• Lee Moses - Bad Girl Pt. 1

Not all band's places are in myspace.

TIME TO BE POOR AGAIN

2008-04-07T23:20:00.003-04:00

(The Death Set and Matt & Kim performing at the Lo-Fi in Baltimore, more photos from the show and touring with Matt & Kim here)

It's a funny thing when you realize you are having a discussion with the head curator of a major contemporary art museum, while wearing a t-shirt with lots of penises on it.

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MP3:

This is the closest thing to a dedication you're likely to find on here.

• Hush The Many (Heed The Few) - The Knife

A band's place in myspace.

THE DARING AND DANGEROUS

2008-04-05T18:28:00.014-04:00

(photos from Slaughterama 5 in Richmond, more photos here)

Slaughterama 5 is up. Only took a few late nights post museum-building-time. Not as much bike stuff in there as I had expected, but way more bands/boxing stuff than I had imagined too. Still working on the installation here at Mass MoCA. It's kind of great to have a neat project to pour myself into along with such an amazing crew of people to work with. Long days and nights, but when there's nothing else you'd rather be doing it's not a bad thing. Went to see Stephen Malkmus (who for some reason was recently on Fox News) and John Vanderslice perform at the museum last night. I met a military photographer in the crowd and got to hear some crazy stories of being embedded during Katrina and two tours of Iraq. Really nice guy, hope he can finish his ten years and get out soon. Okay, back to work. It's communal-cooking-night: burritos!

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MP3:

This is another song from the same comp as the last post, the Mauled By Tigers compliation "This was supposed to be a celebration!" I'll have to cap my mp3 selections from this CD before I post the whole damn thing. Or in other words, if you don't have it you're missing out (it's freakin' $5 pp, less than you spent on lunch today probably).

• The Bananas - New Animals

A band's place in myspace.

POOR LITTLE SCAVENGER

2008-04-03T00:01:00.005-04:00

(photos from the Miss Rockaway Armada at Mass MoCA)

I escaped from New Orleans, a little worse for wear, traveled down with Matt & Kim to Slaughterama in Richmond, had a blast, and am now working on an installation for three weeks at Mass MoCA. I am here with members of the Miss Rockaway Armanda creating a space that will be on display for a whole year. You can read more about the project here. I'm looking forward to it. Three weeks stationary in one place with a potentially amazing installation to pour myself into, sounds pretty good to me. I'll try to update a bit as we progress, but I'll probably focus on catching up on all the stuff I have yet to post (Slaughterama, Matt & Kim tour, Skull By Skull Now, SXSW). So I dare say you'll have something to look forward to.

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MP3:

Hung out with some of the guys in Dynamite Arrows while in Richmond for Slaughterama, made me wish they were playing there. This isn't as good, but it's still fuckin' great.

• Dynamite Arrows - Lady, I'm Fucking Dead

A band's place in myspace.

KILLING BUILDINGS FOR A LIVING

2008-03-27T11:52:00.005-04:00

(photos from lovely New Orleans, including the Termite & Vine squat and performance by the Little Lambs)

Things have been quiet around here, and for good reason kind of. New Orleans was an interesting trip, with veritable ups and downs. But after spending an evening in Orleans Parish Prison I had to admit defeat (more on that later, maybe). Some great kids in NOLA, and it is truly one of the most beautiful and unique places in America. However it kicked my ass so I got the hell out. Headed to Richmond next for Slaughterama with Matt & Kim. Should be a good pick me up. Now if my knee would just heal up I'd be back on track.

ps. Thanks to a buddy of mine, all of my lost photos were recovered. So we will be seeing some SXSW and Skidmarxxx in the near future. Lesson learned: don't trust iPods to be portable hard drives. And anyone that will help you out with data recovery when they are puking-sick is a true friend.
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MP3:

There's very little that can compare to a band whose sound you really love doing a cover of a song you really love. This is off that aforementioned Cardboard Records compilation. I told you it was good (new Japanther track too!).

• Shooting Spires - Sailin' On

A band's place in myspace.

YOUR TENDERNESS TANGLED WITH MY TONGUE

2008-03-21T20:21:00.005-04:00

(photos from Chief Mag's mud wrestling event at Galapagos with Ninjasonik,full gallery here)

Well, while most of my photos from the past week of Austin fun are M.I.A., it does give me a chance to post these photos that I had totally forgotten to put up before I left town. Chief Magazine threw this little shindig in Brooklyn, and well, it's pretty self-explanatory really.

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MP3:

No idea why I wanted to post this, but it just seemed to make sense.

• The Dollytrots - Brand New Key

STRAIGHT BASHER

2008-03-20T17:26:00.006-04:00

(NOLA has it down when it comes to gnarly)

I woke up this morning to get my SXSW pictures posted, and discovered that my ipod/external hard drive had mysteriously "disappeared" all of my SXSW photos, along with my shots of the Skidmarxxx's first Bike Kill/mud wrestling party (yes it was as awesome as it sounds).

Just like that - Poof!

So no SXSW or Skidmarxxx photos for you guys, or anyone else for that matter. Sorry.

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MP3:

In light of recent circumstances, things might be a bit quiet around here for a while. So I wanted to make sure I shared this with you before things go dark. Possibly the most slept-on stand-out performers at SXSW. After all, Spank Rock, Diplo and Cadence Weapon can't all be wrong. . .

• Ninjasonik - Holla For A Dolla

A band's place in myspace.

US VS. US

2008-03-17T19:15:00.004-04:00

(Obama poster on an abandoned house)

It's not often I see something that I think of as a statement. But this is a rare exception. I stumbled across this while being lost in East Austin, Texas. (PS. Shepard Fairey should win an award for this design.)

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MP3:

This song has been really getting to me as of late. So just in case you don't already have the whole album (unlikely, I know). . .

• Feist - The Park

A band's place in myspace.

BLACK BOOTS BUSTIN' ON BROKEN BROWN BOTTLES

2008-03-12T21:43:00.005-04:00

(the Death Set, Ponytail, Team Robespierre, These Are Powers and Bourbon S.t in New Orleans)

- My first shower in a while reveals a ton of scratches on my feet and legs, mementos from the Floristree kittens.
- Meeting Jay who is working on the Todd P. documentary, adventures commence.
- Dropping in to New Orleans A) during spring break, and B) the day before 03/11/08, otherwise known as "311 eve," as in the night before the band 311 plays a concert on 3/11. Bourbon St. is thick with Mardi-Gras-style revelers getting wasted, taking off their shirts (well the guys anyway), and singing 311 songs when they aren't chanting "311" together. There are t-shirts being sold with nothing but the date on them, and passer-bys wish each other "Happy 311." Think I'm kidding? I have proof (scroll down).
- Some of the Death Set discovers the Bourbon St. "Hand Grenades."
- Kinda-too-old-for-this guy trying to keep the "Mardi Gras spirit" going.
- After escaping all the 311 fun, we catch Team Robespierre's set at a Black Label party at the Whirling Dervish. Jahphet gets a little too brave dancing with a girl at the underwear dance party afterward and is almost chased out.

311 day celebration in New Orleans

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MP3:

"One of the best live shows I've seen."
- Peter of the Death Set

• These Are Powers - Chipping Ice

A band's place in myspace.

BORN TO BE YOUR STEPPING STONE

2008-03-11T22:45:00.006-04:00

(the Death Set, Cadence Weapon, Ninjasonik, Team Robespierre, and Ponytail)

And the SXSW bus keeps rollin'. . .

- Almost getting side-swiped off the road by a barreling semi. Life flashes before eyes, verdict = not too bad, considering.
- Meeting Roland, aka Cadence Weapon, and his DJ. Nice chill dudes.
- Meeting some nice girls in ATL who take us out to the Claremont Lounge, Andy falls a bit for "Ms. Barbie" the stripper. The DJ there was as impressive with his tunes as he was with his outfit.
- When we leave the bar, we are met with a small-dog-sized pile of human feces on our vans tire. We figure out it was one of the band members sleeping in the van, too drunk to make it to the bar. We were able to match small bits of puke near the feces to another vomit spot made earlier.
- Our hosts let all nine of us crash at their place, and provide air mattresses before going out at 5am to get groceries to cook us breakfast in the morning.
- We wake up to waffles, pancakes, eggs, coffee and juice, It's the first real breakfast I've had since the 3rd.
- They also had a tiny cute baby squirrel one of their co-workers had rescued, much "awww-ing" commenced.
- Getting a good dose of pure Pensacola butt-crack.
- Venturing into the L Q OR STORE, where we are promptly reminded that we don't blend in down here.
- Meeting all the sweet kids from Ponytail.
- Being well taken care of by Ryan the super-bro at the Homestead in Pensacola. He cooked us breakfast too.

Here's the Death Set in Pensacola:

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MP3:

If this song is any indication, these guys are bringing us some seriously good tunes with their new album.

• The Mae Shi - Run To Your Grave

A band's place in myspace.

YOU WILL BE ECLIPSED BY THE YOUNGER VERSIONS OF YOU

2008-03-08T15:49:00.006-05:00

(the Death Set performing in Athens, GA)

Ninjasonik karaoke in Raleigh, NC.

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MP3:

"We are here on earth to fart around."

• Cathy Davey - Sing For Your Supper

A band's place in myspace.

DEPTH IN CHAOS

2008-03-07T03:59:00.004-05:00

(the Death Set, Team Robespierre and Ninjasonik performing in Raleigh, NC)

On tour with the Death Set down to SXSW:
- Saying goodbye to the cute kittens of Floristree.
- Ninjasonik mosh pit at the Ottobar in Baltimore.
- When Ninjatigers attack.
- Taco Bell is not really food.
- Some of our crew getting stopped and frisked by cops in Raleigh after a club owner made some false accusations.

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MP3:

The title speaks to me. And it's a Ratatat remix, which almost always means it's going to be great.

• Television Personalities - You Kept Me Waiting Too Long (Ratatat remix)

A band's place in myspace.

IT'S ALL OVER FROM HERE, -------

2008-03-05T19:07:00.005-05:00

(Double Dagger, Parts & Labor and Ecstatic Sunshine performing at Floristree in Baltimore)

Well I'm traveling again, and so that means list time:

- A good ol' Philly basement show.
- Team Robespierre's singer breaking lightbulbs with his head.
- Impose Magazine pulling up in their RV.
- Loading equipment in and out of a basement through a trap door.
- Breakfast cooked by Ecstatic Sunshine.
- Kittens waking you up, many times throughout the night.
- Listening to P&L performing/soundchecking 50 ft. away while taking a shower.
- Rolling Stone doing a photo shoot at Floristree in Baltimore.
- Some girl trying to sleep in everyone's spot at Floristree, and then telling one of the people who lived there to turn their music down.
- Nate the Impose photographer trying to sleep in a chair while the kittens nursed on his lap.

Here's another video of the Parts & Labor boys in Baltimore going at it.

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MP3:

This song always sounds good when you're on the road again.

• Uncle Tupelo - I Wanna Be Your Dog

A band's place in myspace.