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boredout305 · 4 years

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Kat Talley Jones (Urinals/100 Flowers)

John Talley-Jones and Kat Talley-Jones, Santa Barbara, California, circa late 1978/1979.

Kat Talley-Jones was an early photographer of The Urinals and 100 Flowers. She is the lyricist of “Ack Ack Ack Ack” and has compiled an impressive 1978 to 1983 gigography of The Urinals and 100 Flowers. Talley-Jones is the wife of the bands’ bassist and vocalist John Talley-Jones.

Professionally, Talley-Jones is an independent exhibit developer and writer. She’s worked on teams that created the Dinosaur Hall and Nature Lab at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and visitor center exhibits at Mammoth Cave National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Badlands, National Park, Stones River National Battlefield, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area among many others.

Talley-Jones is still involved with The Urinals and 100 Flowers, taking photos and contributing in countless other ways, something she’s done since the late 1970s.

Interview by Ryan Leach

This interview originally ran on Razorcake’s website.

Ryan: Where did you meet John (Talley-Jones)?

Kat: Like John, I come from a military background. I was born in Italy. I later lived in Japan, the (Washington) D.C. area and Iran. I met John at the University of Texas at Austin. We gravitated towards the same circle. There were Texans and then there were army brats. We had a different frame of reference than other people did.

John was walking down the hall of the dorm I lived in. I had pulled a picture out of the NME of Kevin Ayers and put it on my door. Kevin Ayers was wearing some blue silk jacket. It was a great photo. I loved Kevin Ayers, The Soft Machine and the Ayers, Cale, Nico, Eno album.

Ryan: That’s a great live record.

Kat: Yeah. My roommate was a lesbian, so we had a nude pinup of a woman on the door too which was very scandalous—we hoped.

Ryan: At that time in Texas it was. Even in Austin.

Kat: Right. John and a friend of his were walking down the hall. They stopped, saw the photos on the door, and wondered, “Who lives here?” I opened the door and there was John, wearing blue eye shadow, black nail polish and a toothbrush around his neck (laughs). We got to know each other after that, running in the same circles. I went out with a guy and John went out with his sister—you know how it is being college aged. Everyone is switching partners.

John left UT. His parents thought—and maybe he did too—that film school would be better at UCLA than at UT. That probably wasn’t the case, but John left for California. My parents had moved from Iran to Redondo Beach. So we got back together again. It’s complicated.

Ryan: John had mentioned that he had moved to San Francisco before attending UCLA.

Kat: He was in San Rafael in Marin County. He lived with his aunt and uncle and worked at a bookstore in San Rafael. That was before he went to UCLA.

My parents went back to Iran. I moved in with my brother in Santa Barbara. I was living in Santa Barbara, John went to UCLA, and then we started going out. I did not see the first Urinals iteration when they played the talent show at UCLA. However, I did see the first three-piece show at UCLA with Kevin (Barrett), Kjehl (Johansen) and John. That was on the fourth floor of Dykstra Hall.

Ryan: Had your parents not moved back to California, would you have likely stayed in Austin?

Kat: Probably not. At that time, there wasn’t really a scene yet. It was sleepy. It was a place where you could get by getting stoned, paying $100 a month for an apartment. I was ambitious, but I didn’t happen to paint or anything. I didn’t love Austin. Just as I was leaving, friends of mine were forming The Huns. We would go to Raul’s and bands like the Skunks were playing. The Ramones and Patti Smith came through there. So there was stuff, but LA felt much more exciting.

Ryan: You mentioned The Huns. So you knew Phil Tolstead and the rest of the band?

Kat: Yes. Phil was an Air Force brat. We had a mutual friend named Victoria (Jones) who Phil went to see the Sex Pistols with in San Antonio. She had lived in London. We were people with a broader background. I can’t say that above everyone in The Huns. I’m still friends with Dan Puckett who played keyboards in the band. I knew their drummer, Tom Huckabee. My boyfriend at the time had a crush on him which was awkward (laughs). I was getting away from that situation too. My parents moving back played a part. But my brother was at UCSB and needed a roommate. I thought, “Well, I’ve got nothing going on in Austin, so I’ll live with him.”

Ryan: You took a lot of early Urinals photos—obviously, for most of their record sleeves. Was photography something you had been pursuing previously?

Kat: Well, I had a camera (laughs). It was just because I was there and I had one. I wasn’t really trying to be expressive. I didn’t take that many photos of shows; the cost of film and developing was expensive. Also, with the low light, the photos often came out horrible.

Ryan: You need an SLR and a lens with a low f-stop. Even then, results aren’t guaranteed.

Kat: I had a Canon FTb camera. I was the beneficiary of trickle down: my dad would get something new, and I’d get the old version of whatever he replaced it with. It was a nice camera that was unfortunately stolen. I didn’t take photographs as a means of self-expression. I just had a camera and I was standing there.

Ryan: If you don’t mind me digressing back a bit, did your parents have to flee Iran when the Shah fell or had they already moved back to the States? I can’t help but think that all of this—you having lived in Iran—played some part in the naming of “Surfin’ with the Shah.”

Kat: Yes, they did. They went on Christmas vacation and never went back.

Ryan: Amazing. I’m glad to hear they got out safely.

Kat: Yeah. My dad was an army officer. He liked that kind of excitement (laughs). I was in Iran and John would write me and send me punk mixtapes. Iran was very much on his mind. I would say that had a lot to do with naming of the song, “Surfin’ with the Shah.” But not the modality or anything.

Ryan: What years were you in Iran?

Kat: I was there when I was in high school, so 1970-1973. I then went to the University of Texas. I was an insane overachiever and graduated UT in three years. My parents moved back to Iran. I went to visit; I thought, “Why go back to the States? I can get a job here.” So I got a job typing repair logs for Bell Helicopter. I came back to the States with something on my resume: “I’ve had a job!” When I moved back to Austin, I was employed by a contractor that worked for the Air Force at what was then Bergstrom Air Force Base.

Urinals practicing at Dykstra Hall (UCLA). Photo by Kat Talley-Jones

Ryan: Going back to the early days of The Urinals, do you recall the first 7” EP (self-titled) coming out?

Kat: Oh, sure.

Ryan: You took the photo for the back cover. I can only imagine being part of a self-released 7” was pretty exciting back in 1978.

Kat: It was very exciting. I had been a prog fan. I loved Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It seemed so out of reach; what ordinary mortal could release a record? To think that you could control the means of production that way was amazing. I can’t remember if that’s the one with the taped piece of Super 8 film on it, but I certainly sat down with Kevin and Kjehl and taped pieces of film on one of the labels. I stuffed the singles too into the plastic bags. I would go around with John and we’d drop the records off to stores on consignment. I was still living in Santa Barbara. I recall going to record stores there. People were often extremely uninterested, because the records were so handmade looking. Not all of the record stores—even the independent ones—were interested in the DIY thing yet.

Ryan: I grew up in Newbury Park, between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. I found it surprising that The Urinals played an early show in Santa Barbara (at George’s on November 4, 1979). The recording was recently released as a live LP, Pin the Needles. You must have been the conduit for that show.

Kat: Yeah. There was a band that was playing up there, The Neighbors, and someone in the group worked at a record store in Goleta. I would go and hang out there and that’s how that connection was made. Santa Barbara doesn’t seem that likely, does it? There wasn’t much going on up there.

Ryan: Nearly zero. You don’t think of Santa Barbara and punk.

Kat: There was a little bit. There was The Rotters.

Ryan: That’s true. Lance Loud was from Santa Barbara.

Kat: But he had moved on.

Ryan: Right. To New York.

Kat: I lived in Isla Vista. The Rotters played a park there and I saw them. I would walk down the street and people would yell, “Hey, punk rock!” Nobody looked like that in Santa Barbara then. There was this club called The Fubar in Goleta. I saw Magazine play there. There were probably 15 people there. It was not a crowd. People didn’t know about them.

John might not frame it this way, but I was also pretty instrumental in setting up the Raul’s shows in Austin (March 27, 1978, and March 28, 1978).

Ryan: That’s interesting.

Kat: Phil Tolstead had been John’s roommate (at UT), so I can’t say that they weren’t close. But I had a connection with the Huns. The Urinals played with the Re-Cords (at Raul’s) which was Tom Huckabee from the Huns’ band. They also played with the Norvells which was Sally Norvell’s band. I don’t have a specific remembrance of setting the Raul’s shows up, but I was always writing letters to (Huns keyboardist) Dan (Puckett), Victoria (Jones) and less to Phil (Tolstead). Phil could hardly manage to write you back. We were in touch a lot. When the Huns had their bust (September 19, 1978), they sent me a T-shirt with the image of Phil being arrested by the police officer. I still have a photo of me wearing it. I think I have the original cover art for their 7”. Victoria painted the cover and sent it to me. I’ll have to look for it. I’ve got boxes filled with stuff.

Ryan: It’s pretty amazing that the first Urinals show outside of UCLA was in Austin at Raul’s. Do you recall trekking out there?

Kat: I think we drove out to Austin in Kjehl’s Chevy Caprice. It was a small Chevy; it wasn’t big. We crammed everyone in there. My particular gift is that I wake up very early. When everyone else can’t drive another moment, I’m starting to wake up. With the four of us we were able to make it to Austin in one shot. I think it was 27 hours. We just brought guitars. Kevin borrowed Tom Huckabee’s drums. We stayed with friends and drank a lot of frozen margaritas. I think those two shows at Raul’s happened over spring break (1978). That was the only time everyone could get together to leave town.

Ryan: That makes sense.

Kat: Yeah. We weren’t in school or working.

Urinals performing at a house party. Photo by Kat Talley-Jones

Ryan: Can you talk about writing “Ack Ack Ack Ack.” As far as I know, it’s your only songwriting credit, but it’s a great one.

Kat: Right. Why not stay on a highpoint? I had heard the news reports about Brenda Spencer, the girl who shot some kids in school. It was the same event that inspired the song “I Don’t Like Mondays” (by the Boomtown Rats). I was thinking about that. When I was a kid, as everyone does, I’d play war with friends. We’d chase each other around and pretend to shoot each other. The boys—I don’t know if it was genetic or what—but they could always make that machine gun sound better than I could. I was always jealous. They could vocalize “Ack Ack Ack Ack” and I couldn’t. It was a word you’d see in comic books. I always liked it as a sound. Why did I name the subject of the song Johnny? Possibly because of John.

Ryan: How did the music come together? You wrote the lyrics and John composed the music?

Kat: I wrote the lyrics. I typed them up. I was still in Isla Vista. I probably mailed them to John. But we saw each other virtually every weekend. I would drive down (to West Los Angeles) and occasionally he’d drive up. But John had an old Volkswagen that couldn’t get over the Conejo Grade.

Ryan: I lived right at the top of the Conejo Grade for years. I know exactly what you’re talking about.

Kat: Yeah. So John would take the Greyhound Bus to Santa Barbara and he’d smell like the bus for a day or two. It’d take a while to get that smell out.

Ryan: Los Angeles to Santa Barbara isn’t too far. Nevertheless, it’s still about a two-hour drive.

Kat: There would be a Urinals or 100 Flowers show. Afterwards, I’d sleep until about 4 AM. And then I’d scoot out when there was no traffic to work. I had a Buick Skyhawk with a V6 engine. It was a terrible car; the clutch cable would always break. I’d drive it straight to work. It’s no wonder why I didn’t get the best performance reviews.

Ryan: Do you recall taking the photo for the Presence of Mind 7” EP? It has a real dada feel to it.

Kat: John came up with the idea. I think it was taken at Kevin’s apartment. I don’t know why it was just John and Kjehl (on the front cover). It feels like Kevin was developing in another direction. He had gotten extremely political. I wrapped them up in newspaper and took the photo. That one turned out nice because the black and white was more saturated. It seemed like the photos for the other albums were washed out. We may have had a rudimentary darkroom; it’s possible we made the prints ourselves. That sounds like something we would’ve done. It’s insane to me that we have so few photos. We just couldn’t afford it at the time.

Ryan: You’ve compiled an amazing Urinals and 100 Flowers gigography. How did you put it together?

Kat: I had these tiny datebooks my dad would get from the USAA. I would get one and he’d keep one. When we lived in Iran, I’d make daily notes. What I was doing in Tehran, the dates I’d been on and other things. I had a habit of making daily notes. Later on, I went back to those little pocket calendars and made that gig list. It’s moderately accurate.

Ryan: It’s an incredible resource. I didn’t realize 100 Flowers played Phoenix with the Meat Puppets (on October 17, 1981). I thought those early shows at Raul’s in Austin was the only time the early incarnation of the band left California.

Kat: We drove in Seabiscuit—the name I gave my horrible Buick Skyhawk. Again, it was Kevin, John, Kjehl and I and we drove straight to Phoenix. We left early. I remember Savage Republic drove out too and played; they might have been called Africa Corps then. I did take some decent photos of that show. It was at a boxing ring (Phoenix Madison Square Gardens). There’s a nice one of John and David Wiley that I took. David was in Human Hands.

Ryan: The Consumers too.

Kat: Right. We stayed at David’s house. Bruce Licher and the other Savage Republic guys stayed with the Meat Puppets at their place. The Savage Republic guys were pretty clean cut, but the Meat Puppets took acid and were playing cowboys and Indians over them all night.

Ryan: That makes sense.

Kat: Yeah (laughs). It was always kind of a blitzkrieg thing. We actually spent one night in Arizona. 100 Flowers played in San Francisco. We drove up for the gig and then drove back home (to Los Angeles) afterwards. It was pretty horrendous.

Ryan: I’ve done Los Angeles to Phoenix and back to see a show. It’s pretty rough.

Kat: It’s doable.

Ryan: I did it in my early twenties. I’d just spring for a motel now.

Kat: Yeah. I mean, if they were playing in San Diego now, we’d stay the night at a hotel. We drove back from a show in San Diego one time. A truck tire bounced over the center divider and hopped over us, hitting the car behind us. That was scary.

Ryan: With the benefit of hindsight, it’s interesting seeing The Urinals evolve. You can hear their musicianship develop on each EP. Eventually, they’d release compilations like Keats Rides a Harley on their own imprint, Happy Squid. I picture The Shaggs evolving like that had they actually wanted to be in a band. There aren’t many similar examples. Maybe The Raincoats? I can’t think of any at the moment from Los Angeles.

Kat: They learned more and more as they went along. I don’t think they initially had aspirations to release, say, Keats Rides a Harley or The Happy Squid Sampler. An LP was unthinkable when they started. I’m sure John and Kjehl have mentioned this, but getting a mentor like Vitus (Mataré) was key. Vitus knew how to do things. Obviously, being in The Last he had a much broader reach. They knew Gary Stewart (The Last’s manager) and people who were more record business savvy. But there was never any aspiration to get picked up by a record label. That was also unthinkable. It wasn’t a political thing: “We’re pure of heart. We’re not going to sign.” But who would’ve signed The Urinals in that era? There was some interaction with Greg Shaw at Bomp! It seemed like it was all a natural progression. It wasn’t aspirational—if that makes sense.

Ryan: It does. The Urinals and 100 Flowers weren’t trying to get on Enigma Records.

Kat: Right. I think it was really satisfying to put out friends’ work. I think about the little Happy Squid Sampler (1980). Getting stuff out by Neef and Phil Bedel (“Bells in Ice” 45, 1980). I’m not going to say it was done out of generosity of spirit; they’d just figured out how to do it. John is extremely thrifty and a monetarily conscious person. Doing things as cheaply as possible resonated with him. They were playing with all of these great bands—Leaving Trains, Meat Puppets, and Gun Club—and they had simply figured out how to get records made. So they did it without being careerist. It was coming from an artistic standpoint.

Ryan: Do you recall the last two 100 Flowers shows at the Anti-Club (January 28 and 29, 1983)? I think that was the only time the band headlined a bill.

Kat: Oh yeah. It was so crazy—it was celebratory, but it was also the end of the band. There was that psychological development: celebrating and mourning at the same time. I don’t know why, but it always seemed like 100 Flowers played when it was raining. That’s true up until the present. I think the Anti-Club shows happened during an El Nino year. It was really wet outside; everyone at the club was wet. It was humid; the walls were dripping. The Minutemen played. It was a lot of fun. I remember thinking, “Why couldn’t it have been like this all the time?” But people didn’t appreciate them until they were ending the band.

The second night was with the Leaving Trains and The Last. I don’t remember that show being as wild as the one where The Minutemen played. But how could it ever be?

Ryan: With the release of the Negative Capability compilation and reunion in 1996, it seemed like folks caught up with the Urinals. It was the same thing with Mission of Burma when they reunited.

Kat: Yes. Honestly, I think some of it had to do with the singles being collectors’ items. They were being bootlegged back in the 1990s. “Oh, that band I paid $100 for their 7” is reforming.” Perhaps I’m wrong on that

Ryan: I think you’re right. I was in New York City two years ago and I went to Almost Ready Records. They had just gotten the first Urinals 7” EP in. I remember saying, “Oh, wow! That’s the first one I’ve seen in the wild.” It has an effect.

Kat: Oh really?

Ryan: Yeah. I’d never seen an original copy of the first 7” before. Those records suck you in. We were talking about Vitus and The Last earlier: I recall seeing a test press of Look Again (1980)—obviously, the record was never released—on the wall at Amoeba for hundreds of dollars in the mid-2000s. It sticks with you. Especially with self-released records like The Urinals 7”s. They had an initial small pressing, limited distribution, and often record labels—with or without a band’s approval—will repress titles once used copies hit a certain price. If you released it and you’re not repressing them, prices go up and they sometimes get pirated.

Kat: It always irritated me. The band never saw any of that money. Like I said, John was very thrifty. I’m sure he wasn’t in the red. But they weren’t sold for much originally. I don’t know how many copies of the first EP we have. I’d be surprised if it was five. You wanted them out in the world.

Ryan: You’re still involved with the Urinals and 100 Flowers. I see you’re still taking photographs. It’s amazing seeing them play places like Belgium and China.

Kat: Yeah. I always thought they were doing interesting things. It wasn’t random. I had mentioned that their records being scarce had some allure, but they were doing something different. They continue to. All of John’s iterations of the band have been good. There are things I’ve liked more than other things. There have been times where I’ve liked the band less than at other times. But they’ve persisted because they have merit. All of the band members have a vision. I believe in it. There have been times where I’ve been busy with my own work and haven’t gone to shows. As I mentioned earlier, I wake up early, so having a set start at midnight isn’t always my favorite thing. But I enjoy watching them play. I think John appreciates that if I think something sucks that I’ll tell him. But not with an axe to grind.

Kat and John today, photo by Pat Aldarete.

#urinals #100flowers #kattalleyjones #johntalleyjones #ackackackack #happysquid

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cillian-murphy-fan · 5 years

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Cillian Murphy’s Music Mixtape: Volume One

1. Guy Garvey – Broken Bottles And Chandeliers

2. Les McCann, Eddie Harris – Compared To What

3. Broken Social Scene – All I Want

4. Johnny Flynn – Raising The Dead

5. David Bowie – Sound And Vision - 2017 Remastered Version

6. Jefferson Airplane – Today

7. Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats – Rocket 88

8. Karen Dalton – Katie Cruel

9. Lisa O'Neill – The Hunt

10. Fontaines D.C. – Big

11. Thom Yorke – Atoms For Peace

12. Smog – Cold Blooded Old Times

13. PJ Harvey – Written On The Forehead

14. Niney – Blood & Fire

15. Average White Band – Pick Up The Pieces

16. Rustin Man – Judgement Train

17. Peter Broderick – Colours of the Night

18. The Orb – Golden Clouds (feat. Lee “Scratch” Perry)

19. Lou Reed – Charley's Girl

20. John Cale – Paris 1919

21. Peggy Lee – Golden Earrings

22. Leno Phillips – Confusion

23. Fred Pallem – Astringent Mouse Trap

24. James Blake – Don't Miss It

25. Masayoshi Fujita – Tears of Unicorn

26. Massive Attack – Teardrop

#killed it #cillian murphy #bbc radio 6 music #curated #music #radio

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thefreshfinds · 5 years

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BROOKLYN UNITY FEST:

There is strength in numbers and the Brooklyn Unity Fest went ahead to prove that theory in their 8th annual event. If someone were to question "Where Brooklyn at?" the proof would be front and center. Ultimately the Brooklyn Unity Fest gave back to its community in a major way!

Aside from its free giveaway on Summer Jam tickets, bikes and t-shirts — there was also a Fabolous Way 3 Point Contest and Stomp the Violence Dance Contest.

From the basketball courts, vendors, face painting, multiple stages and even a bouncy house — the festival made sure to bask in its pride.

Overall, everyone was very accepting. Once the performers went onstage their was a common ground shared between the younger and older generation.

Not only were their crowds of kids doing the Stanky Leg, but there was all smiles and a fascination towards the new age sound. Many of the artists recieved new fans but their main focus was giving their all in the name of hip-hop. The genre has taken them to new heights and for that matter they encourage others to follow their dreams. In a word, there was no other place that I wanted to be! The Brooklyn Unity Fest had great vibes. No wonder Brooklyn is the Most Thorough Borough! Their community is willing to give a lending hand if needed be.

Although I wasn't able to interview all of the performers, here are some brilliant creatives that I had an opportunity to speak with:

1. MARLEE HENDRIX: Known for being authentically dope, Mr. 70's cared to elaborate not only through his super fly assemble of jet-black boots (with flowers on the heel) fedora and lime green pants — but also through his genre-defying style of soul and hip-hop. At most, Marlee's palette for music brings his sound to life but what drives it even further are the artist that he's moved by. As said by Hendrix, the Temptations (and even Eminem) inspire him because of the different things they bring to the table. "Music is in my bones." Hendrix says.

INSTAGRAM: @marleehendrix

MUSIC LINK: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCg05CAoXgpKWMbv9bDSRIJQ?itct=CBoQ6p4EIhMI86S32v7g4gIVbYacCh0JNQ0h&csn=dGP_XPKQEoPR8wSt94XwAw&wlfg=true

2. SOULJIASPAIDE and EVELINASOWAVY: Two who share a bloodline, Souljiaspaide and Evelinasowavy do it to perfection. Even when they've been through the wringer, they're above it all and venture into money missions. Starting off her music journey when her mom bought a computer, Souljiaspaide began to record her own songs. Then as time passed, Evelinasowavy came in and did a solid 16 which left Souljiaspaide in awe. "I didn't even know she could rap." Likewise they share a love for hip-hop. For them it's everything and it all comes down to Tupac because he's an artist who educates. With this in mind, they want upcoming artist to stay positive. "Don't get annoyed," Evelinasowavy says. "It can happen. Don't let anything get in your way." Souljiaspaide adds.

INSTAGRAM(S): @souljiaspaidedwa + @evelinasowavy

MUSIC LINK:

A) SOULJIASPAIDE: https://soundcloud.com/souljaspaide

B) EVELINA: https://soundcloud.com/evelinamusic

3. D.CHAMBERZ and D.MCCRO: D.Chamberz and D.MCCRO wear a lot of hats in the music industry. While D.Chamberz brings the ruthless bars, D.MCCRO makes the soundscape so D.Chamberz can freely express himself. On a whole, D.Chamberz gained something from hip-hop and it helped him control his emotions. He puts his pen to the pad and works with a music group whereas D.MCCRO works in the hottest studios in New York. He is an engineer and producer. Motivated by money, both keep a green thumb. They’ve got their Benjamin’s aligned,

INSTAGRAM(S): @dchamberzciw + @iamdmccro_ondatrack

MUSIC LINK:

A) D.CHAMBERZ: https://linktr.ee/dchamberzciw

4. DATWINPRINCE: Swagful with the drip on his neck and wrist — DATWINPRINCE rode his own wave at the festival. As he gave the crowd a boost of energy when he performed "Drip 3X" DATWINPRINCE gleamed from ear-to-ear because it really just comes easy. Off the rip, DATWINPRINCE identifies as a professional Milly Rocker, dedicated singer and rapper. Still, the grind never stops. Every year he pushes even harder because it's all just preparation and practice. Good music goes a long way, "It made me realize I had a way to express the things I felt, but was always scared to say." DATWINPRINCE says. In the same way he is the voice for those who feel the same. The dope vibes never end. *Make sure to check out his latest single, "DRIP3X", it's on all streaming platforms.*

INSTAGRAM: @datwinprince

MUSIC LINK: https://ampl.ink/dbPxp

5. JX and BIG DAWG K: Real recognizes real & when I spoke to them I just knew they were it. Even though the two exinguish the blaze in their 16's alone, they create a mine field when facing their competitors. As an outsider, I could sense the energy they both share and I've got to say it's very inspiring. At just 9 years old JX was writing and so the pen manifested them into rhymes. Even at a young the first song he sung was"Hip-Hop Hurray." But JX hopes that his music inspires and encourages others to be themselves. In the same way Big Dawg K wants his music to say that dreams are achievable. "If you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything." Middle school was where his music journey started and for the MC, when he's onstage it's another day in the office. On the other hand, JX says to himself "let's go kill it". However they both just aim to have fun. Expect a mixtape from JX on DatPiff in July. For now check out Big Dawg K's album, Soul Food (on all streaming platforms) and JX's video "730 Freestyle" on Worldstar.

INSTAGRAM(S):

@therealjx + @bigdawgk_fnf

MUSIC LINKS:

A) JX: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=kTWP_mVkESg

B) BIG DAWG K: https://snd.click/SSNCTWI

6. ZOE E ROSEGOLD: A 9-to-5 chick with a ride-or-die soul, Zoe stands for all the women in her sound. As she test all of the genre-elements, Zoe makes sure that her music is for self-enjoyment. Before she gets onstage, the star plans to deliver a message. However she really leaves it up to God. Aside from herself, she's really moved by the rap game because it's now given women a turn to dominate! Even though she just started her journey a year ago, music has always had a place in her heart. "I went to school and graduated with my nursing degree but the music just kept caling." she says. while you're on the road listen to her single, "Coke Music". It defines what her sound does to you.

INSTAGRAM: @officialzoeenyc

MUSIC LINK: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/zoeerosegold/zoe-e-rose-gold-ii

7. FEE DOLLAZ: With swag on a mf'ing 1000, Fee Dollaz rap style goes untouched. She's really her best self on and off the stage so it's safe to say that she's going places. Although she's from D.C, the rap star felt right at home when entering the Greater New York. Hip-hop has always been a passion of hers and when she says she is tired of a 9-to-5, many "100" emojis go up in favor. Likewise, hip-hop for Fee is bouncy, fun and real. Expect a 90's twist in her sound along some personable rhymes. Her message to the upcoming artist is to be you and follow your dreams. Make sure to bump "Set it Off" on the road. But the best is yet to come! Stay tuned for her album "World of My Own."

INSTAGRAM: @feedollaz

MUSIC LINK: http://hyperurl.co/pwtl9q

8. LIVELIKEDAVIS: The epitome of the fire emoji, LIVELIKEDAVIS brings the flame in 2019 and for many years to come. An avid fan of his, it was only right to tell him how amazing "Choppa For Advice" was but what I came to learn is that LIVELIKEDAVIS has been getting spins from the DJ off the rip. LIVELIKEDAVIS has been pursuing music since he was 13 years old but it really got far once he blew up on Vine in 2013. LIVELIKEDAVIS says that hip-hop is for self-expression and allows one to put it all on the table. But what inspires him the most is hip-hop's ability to paint a vivid picture of the artist's backstory. His advice for all upcoming artist is to stay constistent and to never listen to anyone but yourself. Take his word for it. LIVELIKEDAVIS plans on releasing a project soon. My question is: Will the fans get to hear a Lil Tjay feature? Maybe so. Go and stream “BEYBLADE” now. It’s available on all platforms

INSTAGRAM: @livelikedavis

MUSIC LINK: https://ffm.to/qm7v17k

9. SANTOS: Santos has a larger than life personality. Not only does he carry the same influential power that music does, but he also has an business man mentality, because he’s about his business, man. Starting off with his own marketing company, Santos was blessed with the opportunity to showcase his talents to BET. In turn, Santos shined through the lights and now is apart of the show, Hustle in Brooklyn. Besides this Santos also has his own record label. When he scouts out for talent, they must have a vision and ambition. Really it just shows that they’re ten toes down for the long haul. Santos list women and his mother as personal inspirations. On the road Santos likes to shuffle between 50 Cent, Jay-Z, 2Pac and Biggie. His word of advice to any upcoming artist is to spend the same amount of money you would on Jordan’s on an LLC. If you can’t invest in yourself how do you expect for others to?

INSTAGRAM: @tosmoney

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antiquatedfuture · 5 years

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Antiquated Future Distro Spring Newsletter

In brief: We picked up all three issues of Fred Thomas' (Saturday Looks Good to Me, City Center) Balcony zine series. The latest (We Need Emotional Labor) from Jennifer Williams' ever-popular workbook zine series is here. We brought our Summer Soul mixtape series out of retirement. The excellent Grand Terrace Photo League coffee table book is now much more affordable. There's new issues of some of our favorite literary and art journals: Big Big Wednesday, Incandescent, and We'll Never Have Paris.

And in these trying times, we brought back our Protect Roe v Wade Zine Pack, but also encourage everyone to donate to organizations working directly against this, such as The Yellowhammer Fund, Access Reproductive Care Southeast, and National Network of Abortion Funds.

ZINES

Balcony #3- "A funny thing about regret is that it's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done." Interviews with long-running New Zealand experimental rock band The Dead C, cultish songwriter Edith Frost, and ambient musician John Daniel of Forest Management. ($6)

Balcony #2- A public apology, an essay about Lewis Hyde's The Gift, an interview with left-field hip-hop musician Sterling Toles, in-depth record reviews, and a couple poems by Charles Gonsalves. ($6)

Balcony #1- The issue that begin the Balcony series, a highly enjoyable take on the now-rare music-focused variety zine. Highlight: an interview with Chandra Oppenheim, who—at ten years old—headed up the New York no-wave band Chandra. ($6)

Black Tea #5- A mixtape of Jason Martin's comics from recent years. Within: good-deed tollbooths, a tribute to San Francisco's Aquarius Records, and a really sweet one about a childhood business card collection. ($4)

Dogs of Brattleboro- Dogs busking with the punks, hanging out in cars, on walks, in laps, in arms. 22 images from photographer Bob George's Brattleboro, Vermont archives. Each zine comes with a dog button! ($4)

A Halloween Poem for Children- A short collection of short poems (in handsome mini-zine form) from Murder City Devils' frontman Spencer Moody. Metaphysical oddities that casually nod to centuries of counterculture writers. ($5) Safe Words- A lyrical mini-memoir of desire. Through a series of vignettes, longtime zinester Sarah Geo recounts her sexual experiences with men, traversing the good and the bad to shine a spotlight on sexual desire in all its complexities. ($8)

Somnambulist #31: Dear Mayor Wheeler- Letters to Portland mayor Ted Wheeler regarding Portland's housing crisis from the perspective of a long-time advocate for houseless communities. This far-reaching collection of letters brings in personal, literary, and historical viewpoints. ($5)

Sugar Needle #41- The zine of oddball candy reviews. Within: scorched rice, wagon wheels, Italian apertifs, bee-berry honey caramel chocolates, jujube nougat, and much more. ($3)

Tin Can Telephone #6- Another issue of historic lost oddities and present realities. The highlight: a short history of cardboard cut-out cereal-box records of the 1960s and '70s. ($5)

We Need Emotional Labor: Discussion Questions to Redistribute the Work that Holds Communities Together- An essential guide to understanding both the value of emotional labor and the imbalance of it. ($8)

We, The Drowned- In the vein of his Fixer Eraser zine series, We, the Drowned is Jonas' latest collection of curious short prose pieces. Under the banner of "wishes and ghost stories," the pieces within are filled with conversations, lies, playful tangents, and a lot of heart. ($3) We'll Never Have Paris #16: Food- The latest issue of the literary zine of all things never meant to be focuses on food. And within, there are personal essays about diets, the melting pot of culinary cultures in a textiles factory, an immigrant family's relationship to Filet-O-Fish, a French mother's relationship to endives, the morning of Freddy Mercury's death, a failed care package, and more. ($6)

BOOKS

Big Big Wednesday, Issue Six- An inviting literary journal of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art, each issue of Big Big Wednesday holds a little something for everyone. One of our all-time favorite journals. With work from (the one-and-only) Jo Ann Beard, Jane Wong, Erin Perry, Madeline ffitch, and many others. ($15) Incandescent: A Color Film Zine, Issue 15- Parking meters, pensive basketball players, proud dogs, explorative cats, tomatoes in a shirt, a swamp room, a shack. All gathered, figuring out how “to approach stillness,” the latest theme of Incandescent, our very favorite photography journal. ($14)

MUSIC Anna Burch- Party (Life Like)- Before her Polyvinyl pop gem, Quit The Curse, there was Party: the Beach Boys' Party-inspired solo debut from Anna Burch (Failed Flowers, Frontier Ruckus). (Cassette) ($8)

Anna Burch & Fred Thomas- St. Adalbert / Parkways (Polyvinyl)- A stunning indie-pop gem a piece from Michigan's finest: Fred Thomas (Saturday Looks Good to Me, City Center) and Anna Burch. (seven inch) ($8)

Bitpart- Beyond What's Left (Rumbletowne)- Thirteen songs from Paris-based post-power-pop punks, Bitpart. In your face, catchy, and raw, with big heavy basslines and lots of energy. (LP) ($12)

Bonny Doon- Classical Days and Jazzy Nights (Life Like)- A repress of the 2015 four-track home recordings of Detroit band Bonny Doon. Hazy, Echoplex-laden, alt-country-tinged pop anthems. (Cassette) ($8)

City Center- Spring St (Quite Scientific)- A long-lost record from the late great City Center. Four woozy, atmospheric, skewed dream-pop tracks. On clear, screen-printed, one-sided vinyl. So gorgeous! (12" EP) ($12) Cultural Fog- Self-Titled (Life Like)- Claire Cirocco, Emily Roll, and Fred Thomas combine to make pulsing, triple-synth soundscapes that are "strongly under the influence of Windam Hill." (Cassette) ($8)

Dominic Coppola & Fred Thomas- Enough Time Has Passed (Life Like)- A collaborative project between drone musician Dominic Coppola and musical chameleon Fred Thomas. (Cassette) ($8)

Land & Buildings- Huron River Eclipse (Life Like)- Like a chamber-pop band led by a synth player and inspired by Nico Muhly's Mothertongue and John Cale's Artificial Intelligence. (Cassette) ($8)

Make Like a Tree- Mothernight (This + That Tapes)- Hazy, ambient dream-pop from the Ukraine. Really, it's just such a pleasure. An album to get lost in. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($8)

The Max Levine Ensemble- Backlash, Baby (Rumbletowne)- Hyperdrive pop-punk packed with stories from songwriter David Combs (Spoonboy, Somnia, Bad Moves). (LP) ($12)

Mystery Cassette Tape Grab Bag- Five cassettes, from our back catalog and beyond, all for $10. What a deal! (cassettes) ($10)

Nick Keeling- Martha (Why the Tapes Play)- Three pieces of lo-fi instrumental piano on a three-inch CD. Music that exists beautifully outside of time. (3" CD) ($5)

Pleasure Systems- Terraform (Self-Released)- The latest from Pleasure Systems, the solo electronic project of Clarke from The Washboard Abs. Terraform takes the project into a place that sparkles and pops in digital melancholic bliss. A masterpiece in synth waves, pitch shifts, glitches, and stutters, all covered in pop song dreams. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($6)

Somnia- How The Moon Shines On The Shit (Rumbletowne)- A full-throttle pop-punk supergroup that combines the songwriting talents of Erica Freas (RVIVR) and David Combs (Spoonboy, Max Levine Ensemble) to create an album to help you get through the day. (LP) ($12)

Songs for Moms- River (Rumbletowne)- Five tracks that captures Songs for Moms' enduring greatness. Adventurous pop-punk songs of scars and healing, grieving and celebrating. (12" EP) ($12)

Spencer Moody & Little Stray- Split Tape (This + That Tapes)- A split release from Murder City Devils' frontman Spencer Moody and Little Stray, the solo project of Rabbits to Riches' guitarist Chris Baldys. Two sides of smart, intimate bedroom folk in handsome handmade packaging. (Cassette + Digital Download) ($8)

Summer Soul, Vol. 9- The ninth volume of our long-running Summer Soul mixtape series. Twenty songs of apologies, thank yous, heartbreaks, and celebrations. An hour of lesser-known '60s and '70s soul. (Cassette) ($5)

#distro #zine distro #music distro #new zines #zines

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sweet-thing-i-watch-you · 5 years

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Des trucs de 2018

En 2018, il y a eu un orage dans la montagne, des écureuils noirs, Rrose à Comme Nous Brulons, de la power-pop, des jeux de ballon, Scout Niblett qui te fait regretter le mascara waterproof, des pistes de danse, l’Italie deux fois, les tresses de Frankie Cosmos, la porte de Bagnolet, l’envie de cramer des mecs (surtout ceux de la Concrete).

2018 a poursuivi un processus mis en sommeil depuis longtemps : celui de découvrir de la musique avec une excitation de gamine. De retrouver le goût d’écrire dessus, de façon imprévue et irréfléchie. Il y a des périodes qui fournissent les conditions de remettre à plat les envies et les implications. Ça reste pas évident de trancher entre l’individuel et le collectif. Il y a toujours un risque de s’engager dans quelque chose dont le cadre peut devenir écrasant. Peut-être que les contours les plus souples permettent d’avancer plus librement. Peut-être qu’être seule à la barre permet de garantir la possibilité de jouer avec les lignes à tout moment. Mais c’est pas sûr. Un truc qui serait bien – comme faire davantage de vélo et aller plus au cinéma – ce serait d’essayer d’apprendre à ne pas se gaver d’un truc jusqu’à l’écœurement et à ne pas voir de l’échec dans ce qui ne se poursuit pas. Ça vaut pour les livres interminés, pour les participations auxquelles on met fin, pour le tout et le n’importe quoi. Regarder ce qui n’est plus sans en considérer la fin comme trop tardive ou trop anticipée. Juste, en étant contente que ça ait existé.

Cet article n’est pas une liste. Pas par rejet des tops, j’adore les tops, malgré leur mauvaise réputation. Mais parce que ça n’aurait pas de sens de compiler mes albums préférés de 2018. La plupart sont des albums de pop, comme ceux de Princesse Chelsea, Snail Mail ou Jaromil Sabor. En évacuant d’autres formats de productions, un top ne serait pas représentatif de ce que j’ai aimé cette année. C’est drôle d’ailleurs de voir les genres se distribuer selon les formats. Cette année, la musique électronique est venue par morceaux, par maxis ou mixtapes. Parce qu’il n’y a pas de raison de réifier le format album, ce best-of va tenter de décrire ce type de répartition. Ce sera des zooms, sur un disque, un morceau, une radio. Des flashs d’une année dont la persistance s’évaluera avec le temps.

John T. Gast – BETC Version #1 et #2 (12’’)

Cette année, j’ai l’impression d’avoir farfouillé dans un pan nouveau pour moi des musiques électroniques. Un champ : - dont les acteurs semblent se prendre un peu moins au sérieux que ce à quoi j’ai été habituée. - où les artworks évoquent le garage-punk et les blazes, le rap west-coast. - où on perçoit une dimension loufoque, bordélique, presque pop, dans l’esthétique. C’est parfois même (argh) ensoleillé. - où la catégorisation par genre est une tannée. Le meilleur tag rencontré demeure à ce jour POWER-ELECTRONICA (que je compte bien me faire tatouer).

Les labels qui incarnent cet espace aux contours aussi flous qu’arbitraires s’appellent L.I.E.S Records, Editions Gravats, Knekelhuis, Le Syndicat des Scorpions, Simple Music Experience, Antinote Records, Macadam Mambo ou Johnkôôl Records. On y retrouve beaucoup de Belges et de Néerlandais, un brouillage entre ce qui se danse et ce qui ne se danse pas et un penchant pour l’héritage de l’époque où la technologie MIDI n’existait pas. Par son va-et-vient entre les alias, son invisibilité en mode jeu de piste, et ses productions dont je ne me remets toujours pas, John T. Gast symbolise bien tout ça.

Les pourtours sont un peu sales, industriels. Ça tape doux mais sec. Au delà de la structure binaire, les rythmiques suivent des trames bancales, traquent le contretemps et creusent des tunnels subaquatiques. Le mec fait un tel usage des synthés qu’on croirait à des volutes de cuivres, organiques et profondes, qui sonnent comme des bouffées entêtantes s’élevant du font d’un bunker.

Angela sans déconner c’est un des morceaux les plus ouf de toute cette année.

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Leonardo Martelli – Menti Singole Vol. 2 (EP)

Martelli c’est le moelleux, la crème, un parasol abandonné, le soleil couchant, la nostalgie d’un truc que t’as pas connu. Ça faisait longtemps que j’avais pas été à ce point béate devant les qualités en termes de production, de mélodie, de groove et de texture d’une musique d’apparence légère, mais où l’agencement du moindre détail relève de l’orfèvrerie. Ça convoque la library music comme la deep-house allemande, et jamais des synthés d’inspiration 80 n’ont sonné de façon si pure. Son album sorti en 2016, L’immaginario, était déjà à tomber par terre et à convulser. Il n’y a rien que ce type ait fait qui ne soit pas éclaboussé par la classe.

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Thousand – Le Tunnel Végétal

Si j’avais fait un top, il serait tout en haut. J’en avais déjà parlé ici, alors que je n’étais qu’au tout début de mes écoutes. Il n’y a pas d’albums que j’ai dévorés à ce point, tout en aillant la conscience aiguë que ce sera encore le cas dans 20 ans. Au point d’en connaître chaque mouvement, chaque syllabe. Il a des morceaux que j’écoute plus que d’autres, même un ou deux que j’aime franchement moins. Pourtant rien n’enlève l’impression d’avoir face à soi un monument. Il m’aura suivi tout du long, accompagnant la nuit à Belleville, les moments de chaos immobile ou les trajets en train. Se mariant à la joie sautillante et au marasme. Les arrangements sonnent de façon à la fois limpide et tamisée. On a tout le long une impression d’aura, d’un flou nébuleux où la lumière perce comme des rayons jouant avec des gouttes de rosée sur une toile d’araignée. Cette sensation d’aube claire enveloppe un chant qui se joue du sens des mots et qui cavale avec l’absurde. Guillaume Delcourt sur Pop News avait souligné l’inventivité de l’écriture de Stephane Milochevitch dans un article qui honore la critique musicale (et c’est pas tous les jours). A lire, à écouter et à connaître par cœur.

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Lyl Radio

LYL Radio, c’est comme Guerrisol, faut y passer du temps, faut bien chercher, mais quand tu trouves, t’es trop content. Cette radio indépendante qui se divise entre Lyon et Paris offre des créneaux à tout un tas d’artistes, DJ et labels. La musique électronique y est hégémonique - quoique certaines émissions offrent de cools mélanges de post-punk, rock 60’s et bizarreries à guitare. Sérieux, c’est un super endroit. J’en cale une pour un autre générateur incroyable de playlists aux oignons nouveaux. Les mixtapes de hrv (@noblazoblij) ont représenté cette année une source de découvertes musicales comme j’en ai rarement connues. La moitié des morceaux de chaque sélection me fait bondir de ma chaise, ce qui rend les écoutes assez sport et riches en émotions.

Spiritualized – A Perfect Miracle

C’est des plus belles chansons de cette année. Je ne suis pas familière de l’ami Jason Pierce et j’ai peu écouté cet album en entier. Mais celle là, elle restera. Parce que la gracilité de cordes, les vibrations, la tendresse et la tristesse foudroyante des paroles, l’emphase, le feu d’artifice et l’au revoir.

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#top2018

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