stealiesjam - Tumblr blog

[stealiesjam]

Jim Saah, Ian MacKaye, and Hammered Hulls @ DC Punk Archive MLK Library. ("In My Eyes" Book Talk) 3/10/24

Video and words by Paula Beltran I had the honor to witness Jim Saah and Ian MacKaye talk about Jim's photographs that are published in his book titled "In My Eyes 1982-1997."

"It's the first time I see all these punk images with some funny spins!" - Paula Beltran The afternoon ended with a free show by DC locals Hammered Hulls. PS - Mary Timony was replaced by Brendan Canty on bass just for that day! 😛 Enjoy!

About the book: "In My Eyes Photographs 1982-1997 (Cabin 1) features hundreds of impressive (and never before seen) photos of Fugazi, Minor Threat, Void, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, Jawbox, Government Issue, The Faith, Iron Cross and more.  But Saah’s musical palette wasn’t just confined to punk rock, as evidenced by the inclusion of The Cramps, The Pixies, Lou Reed, Guided by Voices, Fishbone, Wilco et al. The hard cover book closes with several intimate interviews between Saah and longtime friends/fans including Ian MacKaye, J. Robbins, Jon Langford (Mekons), Shepard Fairey, and photographers Cynthia Connolly and Patrick Graham" Related: Check out our pictures from Hammered Hulls' 22' album release "Careening" show party here!

[stealiesjam]

J. Mascis' "What Do We Do Now" Album Out Now 2/2/24

Text and photo by Paula Beltran. The world of post-punk alternative has not been the same ever since Dinosaur Jr. came alive with their own un-categorizable sound. Yesterday, J. Mascis, Dino's frontman, guitarist and vocalist, debuted another solo album under his eponymous name, continuing Dinosaur Jr.'s whimsical and elite garage sounds. The first thing that came into my head when I heard this album was, "there goes J, with his somber vocals yet uplifting riffs." Here are some notes I took while I was listening to the album: Enjoy!

Melody sounds like a psychedelic tropical dream.

Lyrics sound like a PMA goth anarchistic anthem.

The acoustic guitar along with the electric guitar are indeed something classic about J. In this album both guitars take center stage and are both highlighted in a pedestal of iconic artistic gold.

Of course, J. doesn’t stop with smooth sailing guitar riffs and chords, his drum work is indeed where we are now in a post-punk mood of Dinosaur Jr. classic juxtaposition of dreamy yet hard core influential beats.

J’s lyrics have a touch of Buddhism humor. He is very laid back but still the title of the album is a call for urgency. An urgency that fades away with the composition of the songs and his official music videos of “Can’t Believe We’re Here,” “Old Friends” and “Set Me Down.” J lives in a fulfilled world of happiness and he takes us all with him.

In “I can’t find you” he also takes a philosophical approach of letting go of what no longer serves him. In a way, similar to X's lyrics: “learn to forget.” However this time in a more much futuristic way. J. admits he doesn’t know an unknown person and that he doesn’t like him/her so he’s going to disconnect them and send them to an unfindable part of his brain.

Is the song “Old Friends” J’s anarchistic response to Rancid’s “Old Friend”?

In a way J. sings about destination unknown but with a PMA flow that takes us towards another year of great wise music being released.

Of course one of my favorite things about J’s style is his choice of graphic design. This time for the album cover we have two otters eating, or must I say, chopping, two fish. There’s an underwater diver watching them and we see J’s signature in a Milky Way dripping font. The otter theme can be seen throughout the album’s design choices. I guess the main theme for this album is water and the flow of nature.

According to J's website: This is J’s first solo album that features full drum and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic. What Do We Do Now features guest musicians, including Western Mass local Ken Mauri of The B-52s on keys and Ontario-based polymath Matthew “Doc” Dunn on steel guitar. 

[stealiesjam]

J. Robbins (Kreative Kontrol Interview)

For the complete interview click here

Notes by Paula Beltran. I had the chance to get swept away by the Discord community since my friend Charles, a HarDCore pioneer, did not stop talking about his concert experiences back in the day. We even watched Salad Days together with his wife Claudia who is also a dear friend of mine back in their Arlington home (Charles has it been that long?). I've always been attracted to that level of mysterious coolness. Turns out they are! Here are my notes from the interview. Edited in order to be published here. They highlight life philosophies and fun fact about J. Robbins. Good stuff.

No regular commitment

We don’t hate our customers. We love them.

Gov issue bass

Financial donations with a healthy history that leads someplace cause it’s worth it and there’s love

Everyone works from home in dc

24 years of marriage

Cheapest places to live. Grow your own garden. Community.

Maryland Institute College of Art

Connect with people and be active of finding the cool stuff. Dig.

🐯🖕🏼💘

DISCHORD community are so modest 🥹 suuuuuper cool

J. Robbins is 56 years of age.

Living our moment the young ones

Always do it better. Expand palette.

Excited for things he can’t imagine yet

Influences hi Jules 🍻

90s: post hard core

Passion and finesse 

Hi hat opens and closes and has many sounds

We discover music different ways: shows, zines, etc

Resurrection: putting the band back together 

Listens to the same albums for three months or something

No plan, listen what it wants to be

Music growing up: Beatles, Black Sabbath, other stuff

He was into films and film making. He was obsessed with soundtracks. Soundtrack music manipulates your emotions. Heart rate.

He studied things on his own weird way with headphones and weird stuff

Punk saved his life that nothing had to be official (credentials)

XTC - solid song craft 

WHAAAAAAAT YOU GUYS KNOW ME 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

Not a lot of live band interaction during pandemic

No end in sight. Get a studio.

J's band hit record on spot: [please buy something before meeting me, me]

“I just want you to like me” we turn them off / DISCHORD 

Different time

There are things that the more you listen to them the more things you discover about them. (me when I accidentally closed the podcast on my phone and had to rewind it on my computer)

You’re just being nice, you’re my friend

Paula's style bobservation: Perfectionism about art is hell. But hey it happens to j robbins and it’s just a bobservation,

GENIOS 🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼

Relief to see friends at the end. We’re not worried about the fate of the world.

People work at different paces

Me: I’ve always dreamed of this. Community-minded-chemistry present excitement. Cool feeling 💘

Collaborative vs dictation

Rhythm

Poet on drums 🪘 

Lois Carrol 

Hi Jerry 🍻

Flowing in right direction. There’s only one way to go and that way is forward.

Facebook posts have good material for songs

Getting older and not taking things for granted

Dictation for things to go like they were: it never happened.

Can we not learn from this? (Totally evil means and ends)

I’m not a fascist (they are) I am a good person with good intentions 

Me: Live and let live. Respect the written word. Learn how to read.

Fuck you kaiser

We'll just deny it happened ALL IS GOOD IN THE HOOD 🌈

Simplicity is real.

Just be a bee 👖

I’m gunna post this

Yay

Sharing experiences is the goal.

Home and marriage: nourishing 

New record on DISCHORD CHECK IT OUT!

J. Robbin picks dead eyed god as recommendation 

He wrote it very easily and he is proud of himself because of that. More about J. Robbins: "J. Robbins has been the singer/guitarist and principal songwriter in several DC-and-Baltimore-area post-punk rock bands since the late 1980s, most notably Jawbox, Burning Airlines, and Channels. He is also owner and operator of the Magpie Cage recording studio in Baltimore MD."

[stealiesjam]

Winter WonderGrass CO 2024 unveils daily lineup

Words by Santiago Beltran Colorado’s highly acclaimed and adventurous festival Winter Wonder Grass has finalized their schedule for 2024. For these year’s festivities set in the glorious Steamboat Springs yet again - fans can once again expect a diverse roster of bluegrass and Americana artists from local bands and beyond. 

Taking place from March 1st to March 3rd, the lineup will include such headliners as The Dead South on Fri, Paul Cauthen and Kitchen Dwellers on Saturday, and The Infamous Stringdusters along with Sierra Ferrell to culminate the momentous and unique weekend on Sunday evening. 

The backdrop of this mountain nestled ski resort town makes for a jaw dropping setting for what is sure to be another frosty and rowdy weekend of flawless string arrangements and local brews. 

[stealiesjam]

Queens of the Stone Age @ Revel 12/12- Albuquerque, NM

Text by Santiago Beltran Record store photo bombs by Paula Beltran

The scene was set for Queens of the Stone Age to bring their ‘End is Nero’ 2024 tour to the quaint desert town of Albuquerque. With the painstakingly prolific and undoubtedly slick frontman Josh Homme having an impressive resurgence after revealing he had overcome some health issues- this tour has certainly been firing on all cylinders, and for many this would prove to cap off the year in style. 

In such an intimate space of only three thousand guests, such a gargantuan live act was sure to make quite the spectacle. 

The band wasted no time opening the show with fan favorite and oldie ‘Regular John’, and subsequently leaped straight into their all time biggest hit - ‘No One Knows’. 

What followed was a mixed goody bag of newer tracks from their most recent trilogy of albums: including the likes of ‘Smooth Sailing’ and ‘Emotion Sickness’. 

Some creative lucky fans even squeezed a noise packed ‘Misfit Love’ out of Josh through some clever sign crafting. “Is this what you want ? Is that what you want to hear ? Well let’s go then”. The crowd over joyously backed up this request and the first real treat of the night commenced. What followed were another two deep cuts that don’t often see the light of day on stage: ‘I Think I Lost My Headache’ and ‘The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret’. Between these three cuts in quick succession, any seasoned Queens fan would tell you what we had here was a high ranking set. 

The encore culminated in a blistering, frenetic Songs For the Deaf suite with ‘God is on the Radio’, ‘Go With the Flow’ and the always bone  breaking  ‘A Song for the Dead’. Such a small venue always brings the best out of Josh and this is a set that didn’t dare skimp out on the theatrics for just one second. With more shows slated for 2024 , it seems Josh and company won’t be taking their usual respite for a good while.

[stealiesjam]

Melvins @ Summit- Denver, CO 10/9/23 & @ Howard Theater - DC 09/22/23

Words by Santiago Beltran (CO) Video by Paula Beltran (DC)

(This article was supposed to be published in October of 2023)

Performing their outstanding 1991 sludge classic ‘Bullhead’ in it’s entirety, Melvins swung by Denver this past week to remind everyone of their relevance and stature within the stoner metal community. 

Also celebrating 40 years in the business of making ears bleed, this was an especially interesting set, as longtime band friend Cody filled in for throne boss Dale Crover, as he continues to recover from spinal surgery. Cody provided a unique enough slice of drum work, and grinded out the set with a little extra speed, bringing a thrashier edge to a lot of these churning metal classics. 

Wrapping up with the bulk of Bullhead, the set culminated in utter blissful mayhem , as guitarist King Buzzo shredded through impeccable staples in quick succession- such as ‘A History of Bad Men’, ‘Honey Bucket’, ‘Revolve’ and ‘Night Goat’. This part of the set was surely to bring the rowdy Denver monday crowd to its knees , and it surely proved to do so. 

We even got a direct update on Dale’s condition straight from the horse’s mouth- and thankfully all is well and he is on a steady path to full recovery!! Here’s hoping Dale joins the band again real soon for yer another impending tour. 40 years gentlemen… only the finest outlast ! 

Setlist

[stealiesjam]

Phish announce 4 night Sphere run

Words by Santiago Beltran

The revolutionary new Las Vegas venue The Sphere has announced a new residency: Jam band giants Phish have announced their very own four night stand in sin city this April 18-21. The wondrous new venue technology on display has dazzled thousands upon thousands of fans who checked out the U2 Vegas residency earlier this year. This is sure to be a 420 to remember folks. Happy phishin!

Ticket details are available through the bands website: 

[stealiesjam]

Tour alert: Jon Batiste 2024 tour

Words by Santiago Beltran

Highly prolific and award winning artist Jon Batiste will be officially setting sail on his first ever headlining North American tour in 2024. Having recently departed as bandleader for Stephen Colbert, his change of focus from late night to full time recording and touring artist seems like the logical move for Batiste. Kicking off in Portland, OR in mid February, this tour will also include stops in San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, New York, and Toronto. 

Batiste has proven time and time again through all of his varied efforts that he is an artist worth keeping an eye on. Here’s to many more tours to come. 

[stealiesjam]

Tour Alert : Osees 2024

Words by Santiago Beltran Calling all offbeat humanoids ! 

Psych Punk mainstays Osees (formerly known as Thee Oh Sees) will be embarking on a US tour next year- kicking off with what’s sure to be a remarkable four night stand at The Chapel in San Francisco at the end of August, before making their way up the west coast and through the Midwest to conclude with a string of east coast dates with stops in Boston, Brooklyn, Philly and Atlanta. 

Led by visionary songwriter John Dwyer, this is sure to be a no holds barred run of scathing sets and sweaty pits ! 

Tickets are on sale now. 

[stealiesjam]

New Poster Alert: Fear and Loathing in Costco

"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like 'I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive. . . . ' And suddenly there was a terrible roar around us and the sky was full of what looked like huge bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, which was going about a hundred miles an hour with the top down to Las Vegas. And a voice screaming: 'Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?" - Hunter S. Thompson

Welcome to Stealie's Jam!

This original art take by Paula Beltran is a homage to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. However, this time, it's Fear and Loathing in Costco (muppets style). Here you can see Gonzo being portrayed by, Gonzo, and his lawyer, being portrayed by Monster.

Size: 17" x 11"  Material: Cardstock Shop now.

[stealiesjam]

Staff Pick (and updated description): Danzig

Description by Santiago Beltran

Throwback logo with a vintage style to boot ! The punk and metal legend himself, Glenn Danzig, continues to grace the stage to this day, and this piece commemorates a time when his solo venture had a smaller cult following. 

With his unique and remarkable stage presence one can see why his mainstay metal act has garnered such praise over the years. 

“See your skin turned inside out, Cause I’ve gotta have you on my wall!” Shop here.

[stealiesjam]

Vinyl drop Alert: Les Claypool: Adverse Yaw

Words by Santiago Beltran Calling all fans of Les Claypool- the man himself is rolling out pre orders for vinyl repressings of many fan favorites, spanning many years and multiple solo projects. Planning to ship around February, this is a collection not to be missed by any hardcore fans. 

For the first time ever, famed supergroup Claypool’s Bucket of Bernie Brains’ sole album is getting a vinyl with remastered audio. Also highly notable in this collection is the hard to find Purple Onion by the Frog Brigade, as well as the iconic Of Whales and Woe. Also included is the Live Frogs double album, as well as The Fancy Band outing, Of Fungi and Foe. 

All of these orders are also looking to ship in glorious colored vinyl, as well as a main case featuring new remarkable art of Claypool himself. So secure yours before time runs out ! 

Get yours at :

[stealiesjam]

Tour Alert: Sessanta- A Maynard James Keenan birthday celebration

Text by Santiago Beltran

Highly acclaimed vocalist Maynard James Keenan- well known for being the vocal component of Tool- is hitting the road this spring for a string of shows to commemorate his storied history as well as his 60th birthday. 

Partnered with highly prolific singer/songwriter and Primus bassist Les Claypool, this is sure to be a special occasion, as Primus is said to take the stage simultaneously with Keenan’s bands Puscifer and A Perfect Circle to form what will surely be a once in a lifetime experience for both the artists and fans. 

The tour kicks off on April 17th in Phoenix and will make its way through San Diego, Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Salt Lake City, culminating in a two night stand at the fabled Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado on April 25th and 26th. 

As far as what secrets this unique lineup holds and what fans will be treated to remains hush hush- and as such, speculation runs wild. Don’t miss out on this rare event! There’s even a snazzy print curated by Zoltron for all the poster fanatics out there. 

This is a birthday celebration worth marking your calendar for. 

[stealiesjam]

G&T James of Hub City Stompers 35mm, Washington D.C 2023

[stealiesjam]

Cramps poster description

Words by Santiago Beltran

Punk rock legends The Cramps- known by many as the band to popularize the inception of the sub genre Psychobilly- always shied away from the spotlight, but delivered a considerable amount of weight and validation to the underground scene. Display their tenacious presence for yourself with this piece,  highlighting their 1989 pit stop at NYC’s Palladium. 

SHOP NOW:

[stealiesjam]

Ska Night with Paula Vol I feat. Out of Control Army and Black Flag

9/21/23 Video by Paula Beltran

[stealiesjam]

Album Review: Osees- Intercepted Message

Text by Santiago Beltran Picture by Paula Beltran

The newest release from song writing powerhouse John Dwyer comes in the form of yet another rowdy and varied Osees album. The man that’s done it all returns with another selection of strange and uplifting tracks. 

Osees have proven the extents of their craft yet again with this release- providing a seemingly essential blend of psych punk, with blaring synthesizers and blistering, cohesive drum work. When all the gears get moving it is quite the thing to behold. 

At the heart of this outing lie the other worldly and edgy pop number ‘Intercepted Message’, the truly show stopping ‘Stunner’, and sleek and chaotic ‘Goon’. 

Even the paranoid descent into madness witnessed in ‘Sleazoid Psycho’ is best experienced for oneself to stand in awe at Dwyer’s genius musical wit.  

The intense neo-orchestral tail end track , ‘Always at Night’, really creeps up on you after non stop raucous goodness, and as a result really hammers the beauty of this post-punk gem home. 

While a few of the melodies on here tend to sometimes overstay their welcome, the handful of scorchers present on the record hit particularly strong, and keep the experience adrift quite well. 

‘Intercepted Message’ arrives as an LP chock full of gags and wild rides. It further reaffirms how deft a songwriter Dwyer is and what a delightful freak he continues to prove he is at heart.

~~Takeaways: Stunner, Intercepted Message, Goon, Sleazoid Psycho, Submerged Building, Always at Night

3.5/5