#Strummers Union

[theunderestimator-2]

"See you later, Joe…": On this day, Dec. 30th, 2002, the Punk Rock Warlord Joe Strummer’s funeral was held in private at West London Crematorium where he was cremated (from a Los Angeles Times clipping dated January 1, 2003).

The funeral was held on a dark and grey Monday with rain belting down in bucketfuls and the service was attended by his widow Lucinda and two daughters, the rest of the Clash, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon, Chrissie Hynde and Jeannette Lee (formerly of PIL, then co-managing director of Rough Trade), Jim Jarmusch, Bob Gruen, Rat Scabies, Pearl Harbour, Joe Ely, Don Letts, the Clash road manager Johnny Greene, some more close friends and relatives, according to Chris Salewicz, who wrote 'Redemption Song: The Definitive Biography of Joe Strummer'.

He remembers that he heard about Joe’s death after Don Letts called him and when he called up Mick Jones, who in between sobs was his usual funny self, he told him

"… how glad he was he’d played with Joe at the benefit for the Fire Brigades Union five weeks before. -‘I don’t even know what religion he was,’ Mick said. -‘Some kind of Scottish low-church Presbyterian, I imagine,’ I suggested. -‘Church of Beer, probably,’ laughed Mick, tearfully. "…Joe’s coffin slowly comes in, held aloft by half a dozen pallbearers. It is placed down at the far end of the chapel. Keith Allen, the actor and comedian, steps forward and positions a cowboy hat on top of it. There’s a big sticker on the nearest end: ‘Question Authority’, it reads, then in smaller letters: ‘Ask Me Anything’. Next to it is a smaller sticker: ‘Vinyl Rules’. On the sides of the coffin are more messages: ‘Get In, Hold On, Sit Down, Shut Up’ and ‘Musicians Can’t Dance’. Around the end wall of the chapel are flags of all nations. More people are ushered in, like the kids Joe would make sure got through the stage-door at Clash gigs, until the place is crammed. …‘Wandering Star’ [by Lee Marvin] begins to play. ‘See you later, Joe,’ someone says. Yeah, see you later, Joe…" (from Chris Salewicz's 'Redemption Song: The Definitive Biography of Joe Strummer'.)

Soundtrack of the day: ‘Wandering Star’ - Lee Marvin (1969) "When I get to heaven, tie me to a tree/ Or I'll begin to roam, and soon you know where I will be/ I was born under a wandrin' star/ A wandrin' wandrin' star…"

A detailed rundown of Joe's funeral from Chris Salewicz's book: https://www.litres.ru/book/chris-salewicz/redemption-song-the-definitive-biography-of-joe-strummer-39768017/chitat-onlayn/

[greensparty]

Album Reviews: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros / Aerosmith

What a week this is that I get to do album reviews of two of my all-time favorite musicians ever!

Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros Live at Acton Town Hall, London

Following up The Clash is a very tough act to follow, but as I've said many times before, some of Clash leader Joe Strummer's solo work is just as good if not better than The Clash. It's a bold statement, but it's true.  After Strummer died in 2002, I picked up the posthumously released Streetcore album he did with his band The Mescaleros. It was my #1 album of 2003 and one of the best of the 2000s. Over time I’ve discovered The Mescaleros and the band’s 1999 debut Rock Art and the X-Ray Style is quite good. In 2018 I got to review the compilation Joe Strummer 001 and was truly blow away by the sheer amount of 5-star music Strummer put out post-Clash. I mean Wow! In 2021 I got to review the single disc compilation Assembly, also quite good even though it doesn’t dig as deep. Last year I got to review Joe Strummer 002: The Mescalero Years, which compiles all 3 Mescalero albums and then some, as well as the anniversary re-release of The Clash's Combat Rock. All of these serve to remind us how ahead of his time Strummer was with his call for equality in his lyrics and using the punk sound along with world sounds, the music still holds up, especially in 2023!

album cover

On November 15, 2002, Strummer and the Mescaleros did a benefit concert for striking firefighters at Acton Town Hall in London. This would be one of Strummer's final performances prior to his death on December 22, 2002 at age 50. The recording was directly from the mixing board. In 2012, this recording was released as a limited edition Record Store Day live vinyl. This week, Dark Horse Records, the label of George Harrison, now run by Olivia and Dhani Harrison, is releasing the live recording on vinyl and for the first time on CD and digital. In this concert, Strummer did tons of Mescaleros bangers, including more than a few new songs that eventually were released on the posthumous Streetcore album, and some Clash hits. But the real highlight of this concert was the last three songs, where Strummer was joined onstage by his old Clash bandmate Mick Jones for the first time in almost 20 years. To hear these two legends reunite for The Clash's "Bankrobber", "White Riot", and "London's Burning" is bittersweet. On the one hand they got to perform one last time before Strummer's death, but on the other hand it makes the listener wish this was the beginning of more performances! The recording sounds incredible. The vinyl I got to review was clear and there is also liner notes written by the head of the Firefighters' union and some cool photos too. As a longtime fan of Strummer and The Clash, this is such a cool treat for fans to get to have this performance in their collection! Dark Horse, keep the Strummer releases coming please!

For info on Live at Acton Hall, London: https://darkhorserecords.lnk.to/liveatacton

4.5 out of 5 stars

Aerosmith Greatest Hits

As fanatical as I have been of Aerosmith my whole life, this is surprisingly, the first time I have ever gotten to review an Aerosmith release on this site. You could say I've written quite a bit about them here. I've gotten to review side projects from guitarists Brad Whitford and Joe Perry. But I am super thrilled to get to review a new compilation from one of my Top 3 Favorite Musicians of All Time. In 1980, Aerosmith released their Greatest Hits album filled with 10 hits from the 70s. It is one of their biggest selling releases (12 times platinum). Even though it is such a big seller in the Aerosmith discography, it has gotten criticism among fans for the edited versions of several hits. It was re-issued in 1997 with more tracks. There have been other compilations since then, but this new deluxe edition of 44 tracks is coinciding with their upcoming farewell tour. My personal favorite compilation of theirs is 1991's Pandora's Box box set, which is a deep dive into their Columbia era from 1973-1982. Then there were a few compilations in the 00s that combined both Columbia (which they returned to in 1997 onward) and Geffen (their label from 1985-1993). This new Greatest Hits edition combines both Columbia and Geffen. There's various editions being released this week, but I got to review the 3-disc edition.

Deluxe Edition and photos

For the most part, this compilation goes in chronological order of release. All the big hits are here: "Dream On", "Walk This Way" (both the original and the Run DMC duet), "Angel", "Love in an Elevator", "Janie's Got a Gun", "What it Takes", "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (their only #1 song I might add) and "Jaded". There's no real complaints about the song selections, although a number of them are radio edited versions. I think the problem for hardcore fanatics like me is that this just feels like another compilation and not really adding much to the story. I was impressed by a hand full of deep cuts, plus they have the live version of "Rag Doll". But they definitely glossed over this century for the band, i.e. only two songs from Just Push Play, no songs from Honkin' on the Bobo, and only one from Music from Another Dimension. I think more deep cuts would have been more impressive for die-hard fans, but in terms of the songs themselves and the sound quality, off the charts!

For info on Greatest Hits: https://store.aerosmith.com/collections/music/products/greatest-hits-super-deluxe-4lp

4 out of 5 stars

[senor-plume]

Breathing in Joe Strummer grime

Hazy, damp night with Canadian timbers

Wafting above me

I swear off union jacks and fish from yesterday's news

This pipe smolders with patient toe taps

Matches and cigarette butts float in the birdbath

And the stars are humbled by telecaster chimes

Guttersnipe me, enjoying the peaceful evening

As the speakers groan their tales of optimism

I'm smiling with Joe Strummer grime under my fingernails and the fogging of my glasses

Xray rock grinds good and strong

10:17 on a Saturday night

[rock-n-roll-redux]

Presenting just a small selection from our limited edition Rock'n'Roll Redux iconic guitar print collection... Each one signed and numbered and shipping worldwide from the UK... Delivering worldwide to your door. Take a look at the entire collection here https://linktr.ee/rock.n.roll.redux "Beautifully produced print, great service!" Karen ★★★★★ Top Class - Ace Seller AAAAAA"  Andrew ★★★★★ "Lovely quality poster. Received very promptly. Thank you" Kim ★★★★★

[gimmigezz]

Billy Bragg

from FB

Yesterday evening I posted a clip of the Ukranian band Beton performing their rewrite of 'London Calling'. According to reports, the song 'Kyiv Calling' was approved by the Clash, with funds raised going to the Free Ukraine Resistance Movement.After a few hours of discussing the lyrics of the song and whether Joe Strummer would approve of the rewrite, a number of people drew my attention to a series of photographs on the band's Facebook page showing members of the band wearing t-shirts based on the Ramones circular logo. The word 'Ramones' at the top of the logo had been replaced with the word 'Banderas' and although all of the names within the circle were not visible, the one that was clearly read 'Stepan'. The photos dated from a year ago.This is deeply troubling. Stepan Bandera was a far-right Ukranian politician who collaborated with the Nazis during the occupation of Ukraine and whose followers were complicit in the Holocaust. That he did these things in the name of Ukranian independence from the Soviet Union has led some present day far right nationalists to adopt his image in their decade long struggle with Russia. The knock on effect of this has been to allow Putin to smear all those who want a democratic Ukraine free from Russian influence as neo-nazis. The lionisation of Bandera explains his attempt to legitimize the invasion as a campaign of 'denazification', despite the fact that when, during the 2019 Ukrainian elections, all of the major far right Ukrainian parties formed a unified party for the national election, they gained just 2.15% of the vote and failed to secure a single seat in the national parliament. Compare that with the 2009 EU parliament election, where the BNP won 6% of the vote. I left a message on the band's Facebook page asking them to explain why they were wearing t-shirts that appeared to support Bandera, but after 24 hours, I've had no response, so I've deleted my post. We can argue about the meaning of 'London Calling' and what Joe Strummer would or wouldn't have said about the lyrical changes, but we can be damn sure that he would not have allowed his song to be utilised by a band that expressed their support for fascists.

Billy Bragg from FB

[satanatemymovies]

spell out your url with songs

I've been tagged by @knoepfchen. Thanks? Anyway, here you go.

S So You Wanna Marry Daisy - Spencer Hood

A Addiction - Counterfeit

T Twiddles - Misbehavin' Maidens

A Al Mio Locale - Crucchi Gang, Von Wegen Lisbeth

N No Future - Udo Lindenberg

A Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City - Bobby "Blue" Band

T There Is Power In A Union - Billy Bragg

E  Erfurt & Gera - Nina Hagen

M MONTERO - Lil Nas X

Y Your Song - Elton John

M Mondo Bongo - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

O Oh Heinrich - Trude Herr

V  Via Con Me -Paolo Conte

I In Nome Del Padre - Måneskin

E Everybody Walkin' This Land - Paul Cauthen

S SHUM - Go_A

Tagging @sonicskullsalt @hatant @itsmebrook and @hyperbole-and-a-hat-trick

[dubsdigs]

Joe Strummer (1952-2002)

On his birthday and in the age of pressure on the common man increasing by what seems to be the second, I think of one of my antifascist heroes, Joe Strummer. There are so many things to say about the Clash that I’ve said 1 million times over, but one sentiment always bears repeating—Joe Strummer was an important anti-establishment figure in popular culture of modern history. As a Marxist, Strummer struck a chord in a young generation of the possibility of a world free of imperialist capitalist governments and monarchies. The Clash’s captivating discography never fails to give you the feeling of riding around in the car with your friends, ready to terrorize the establishment and fight the system. Strummer’s musical talents with his time in the Clash cultivated music that spoke to a generation of restlessness; the youth and proletariat fed up with the ever-increasing world conflict and wealth disparity through blatant call outs of the oppressors of the ruling class. He gave a big Fuck You to Generals, Politicians, Bomb Droppers, Tyrants, Pigs—the whole lot. Rising in the punk music scene alongside acts like the Sex Pistols and the Buzzcocks, Strummer’s lyrical lectures of the plight of the working class were not rare for their content, but for his delivery. Compelling lyrical content weaved into captivating, genre blending music that you can’t help but feel throughout your entire body, Strummer’s messages of change were poetically jarring and came from a voice that didn’t care what you thought it sounded like, but you’d be damned if you didn’t listen. 

In the Clash’s self-titled debut album The Clash, released in 1977, track “Career Opportunities,” is Strummer’s own anthem for the working class and the struggles of entering the unrewarding cycle of capitalism. Lamenting that “Every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock,” Strummer resents capitalist governments for seeing its citizens as merely a means to capital by only offering jobs that perpetuate the existence of capitalism. Strummer’s voice pouring through your headphones paired with the bouncing, head bobbing hi-hat driven rhythm and jam-like feeling of the track “Clampdown” from the legendary 1979 album London Calling, ignites you to “Kick over the wall, cause government's to fall / How can you refuse it? / Let fury have the hour, anger can be power / D'you know that you can use it?” From the Clash’s 1980 masterpiece Sandinista!, the hypnotic groove of opening track “The Magnificent Seven” serves the dim tale of the average worker and the 7 hour workday of the capitalist cycle perfectly to your ears and memory with his poignant lyrical flow through lines like, “You can't be true, you can't be false / You'll be given the same reward,” regarding the fate of dissenters and those looking for a different way of life rid of the chains of imperialist capitalism like Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi. Sandinista!, a title homage to the Sandinista National Liberation Front, the now democratic socialist party in Nicaragua who led the resistance against the United States occupation of Nicaragua in the 1930’s, holds songs that share themes against imperialism and against war that was ravaging the planet at the time. Opening with a US Marines’ chant, track “The Call Up,” presents Strummer rejecting the notion of answering the call to war and giving one’s own life for the sake of an imperialist monarch as he chillingly reminds us, “For he who will die / Is he who will kill.” The following track, “Washington Bullets,” details the horrors of United States’ intervention in South America and the victims of the imperialist tentacles the United States spreads throughout the world with its smuggling of weapons to facilitate cocaine trade leading to increased violence in communities, where, “The killing clowns, the blood money men / Are shooting those Washington bullets again.” Strummer antagonizes the atrocities of all imperialist interests worldwide, including the Soviet Union’s impact in Afghanistan that left thousands of Afghan rebels and Russian troops dead, carrying his view that every imperialist is to blame for the tragedies of interests in capital around the world in the curt and clear lyrical phrase, “An' if you can find a Afghan rebel / That the Moscow bullets missed / Ask him what he thinks of voting communist.” Strummer brought stories to the mainstream of injustices occurring throughout the world in a time where entire information wasn’t as readily available through the propaganda ridden Western countries.

From the classic 1982 album Combat Rock, Strummer gives a searing performance over an invigorating cacophony of perfectly blended distorted guitars, and the kind of driving punk drum beat that makes you want to break something, in opening track battle cry, “Know Your Rights.” The track is a best representation of Strummer speaking directly to his audience as a voice of social justice in his explanation of the three freedoms given to the poor and disenfranchised, and his questioning of those rights’ validity in actual life. Strummer mocks the contradiction of the power the police hold to unjustly murder civilians without consequence while murder is a serious offense if commit by anyone else. Sarcastically bringing to light the invasive verification process of applying for government assistance and the stereotypes of recipients of these systems that supposedly serve the people, Strummer jokes that the recipient should be so lucky as to receive the right to eat, while hinting that really they would be better off had they simply not needed the help in the first place. Ending with our third right, Strummer shouts out that although we have the clearest right of all, to speak freely, we would be foolish to think that we actually do have the right to test the government under their rule. That if you speak against the those who hold the power, the hand of the state will strike down.

The reason I chose to end with this song and dissect it the furthest (I’ll include a track list of my favorite antifascist Strummer songs below) is not only because of its straightforward simplicity, but as I was listening to my Combat Rock record again this morning it hit me that it has been 40 years since this song came out, unlike how I had ever considered before. 40 years to me is a stretch of time I have yet to experience, 40 years ago I wasn’t even a distant thought to either of my parents. And yet, as Strummer encourages me through my speakers, I can feel the same venom coursing through my veins in my opposition to the rise of fascism in my own country as if I’m listening to this same album in a different living room in 1980. It rocked me to connect so deeply to a different time in history through lyrics and music, as if I had been transported through time. Therein, to me, lies the power of Joe Strummer’s lyrical talent. His messages still ring true today and his legacy lives on in fueling the fire beneath a young generation aching for change. RIP 

Know Your Rights

Straight to Hell

Ghetto Defendant

The Magnificent Seven

The Call Up

Washington Bullets

Police On My Back 

Clampdown

The Guns of Brixton

Complete Control

I’m So Bored with the USA

Tommy Gun

Career Opportunities

White Riot

[cantstandyourloneliness]

On Friday November 15 2002, there took place one of the great moments of rock ’n’ roll. Billed to play a benefit at Acton Town Hall in West London for the striking workers of the Fire Brigades Union, Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros were joined onstage by Mick Jones, the first time Joe and Mick had played together since 1983. The poetry of the event was lent an even greater poignancy by the death of Joe Strummer just over five weeks later.

[bcfphotography-blog]

The Fear

In a song called “The Fear” by indie band Lomelda, the titular fear is the fear of death, of being forgotten, of not being enough. Fear is an emotion that seems to dominate my life. Those concepts scare me, too, but so does simply talking to people, giving presentations, asking questions, doing anything incorrectly, failing, and so much more.

Everyone has the fear inside them, but some people feel it to a degree that is debilitating and unreasonable, and that’s when it earns a different name: anxiety. I have gotten so much better over time, but I still have a long way to go, and I have a feeling that I’ll still be taking the fear with me. Hopefully, I can get it to be more like an annoying teacup chihuahua than a monkey on my back.

You know the feeling when you misjudge where the last step on a staircase is and nearly fall over? That dreadful, panicky, stomach-dropping feeling? I once heard a joke describing anxiety as constantly feeling like you’ve misjudged that last step. On the precipice, nearly falling, fear coursing through your veins.

A glass sitting precariously on the edge of a table is a good representation of that feeling, too.

Living with anxiety is a little like living as a snail. Progress is made slowly, at your own pace, and the weight of life could easily crush you at any moment. While leaving its shell would kill a snail, the opposite is true for those with anxiety. Staying in your shell is lonely and nerve wracking, and trying your best to branch out is the key to leaving it.

You can never truly escape it; the shell is part of the fear, after all, but you can slowly learn to handle it and do the best you can despite your built-in setbacks.

Due to my anxiety, I couldn’t complete this project alone. I wanted to take pictures at school, an environment I often find myself stressed out in at best and terrified at worst, but I broke down and had to ask for the help of my lovely sister.

Anxiety can make you feel very, very alone. It’s like walking down a dark hall, and every face you catch a glimpse of in the murk is incomprehensible, unknowable, and is certainly judging you. I don’t have a shy bladder, but I prefer the almost-always-empty bathroom in the Industrial Tech building simply because it feels easier and less awkward for me, even if it’s on the other side of campus.

Like many, I’m fond of familiarity and routine. Between classes, I always sit at the same set of blue chairs in the Student Union. When I started my first semester at Fresno State, I had no idea what to do between classes and just sat outside wherever I was supposed to go next, but that was impractical, and now I’m most comfortable at the almost-always-empty chairs.

This picture is of the wrong blue chairs on the other side of the Student Union. The right ones are my best friends at this school other than my sister, and since I write in them a lot, I’ve joked that I’ll dedicate the book I’ll publish someday to them.

During my first year at Fresno State, I didn’t gain the infamous freshman 15. Instead, I lost 10 pounds due to simply not eating enough. I was too nervous to order my own food, too nervous to eat food I brought from home, and too nervous in my home environment to eat breakfast. On top of that, no one will teach me how to drive, so I couldn’t go home and eat something. On some days, I was there from 8 AM to 8 PM, eating only dinner with my mom after she picked me up.

Thankfully, I’ve gotten better at eating at school, but the fear hasn’t entirely left.

Ordering food for myself has been an absolute nightmare at times. Stuttering, freezing up, and wanting to cry and go home have all happened in the past, often in that order. I thought Tapingo would help, since you could order online, but at Subway, you still have to go to the counter and ask if your order is there, unlike Taco Bell which just sets the bags out.

I froze up, standing near the counter but unable to go up and ask for around 20 minutes before my sister thankfully intervened. Now, I’ve gotten more used to it and can do it myself, which is really great.

For a good while, I was too nervous to even use the vending machines on campus. It’s very silly, since that doesn’t involve talking to anyone, but I was afraid of somehow messing up or taking too long and bothering other people. I can use them with ease now, which I definitely appreciate.

My weight loss has been worrying to say the least, so I have started bringing these little Nestle brand bottles of what’s basically Pediasure to school just in case I am too nervous to get my own food. I also use them to get extra calories and other such to try to gain that weight back, but it hasn’t made a huge difference so far.

My mom and stepdad share a house with his parents and his sister, and though they’ve been nothing but kind to me, I’m just nervous around them. It’s hard for me to eat by myself there, since I feel like I’m intruding or in the way somehow even though it’s my house, too. This situation contributed to my weight loss, though I sincerely wish it did not.

This year, I’ve been staying at my dad’s house. There’s a lot less people there, so it’s quieter, easier for me to focus, and more comfortable for me to take care of myself. When I’ve gone back to my mom’s more recently, I’ve felt quite a bit better, but the fear isn’t gone.

I’ve been told that my anxiety only makes me rude and a burden upon others. I’ve been told that it makes me selfish, that I only worry about myself, that my anxiety is a facade, that I disregard the feelings and needs of others only to gain attention and sympathy for myself. I know that most of it isn’t true, but I still worry that I’ll never have a positive impact on the world around me, that I’m not, as the sticker says, a badass.

Last semester, I needed a lab book for my biology class, but I was too nervous to do it alone. I asked my sister to come with me, but she refused, saying she didn’t want to “enable me to be a fucking weirdo that never talks to anyone.” I had a breakdown, since I needed the book later that day, and she had plenty of time to help me. I eventually forced myself over to the bookstore only to find that it was out of stock, and I needed to print another downstairs.

Luckily, my sister changed her mind and decided to help me, but not without complaint, and she often tells me that my anxiety is inconvenient and annoying and that I do not try hard enough to fix it.

I’m pretty sure no one likes taking tests. Multiple choice is definitely my favorite kind of test, while timed essays are the absolute worst. I’ve frozen up and not written a single word before, which is obviously a terrible idea. I’d even get freaked out during math facts quizzes in elementary school, the little sheets with a hundred easy questions on them you had to fill out within a certain time frame.

Buying the scantrons was a problem for me, too, and I couldn’t do it by myself for a while. Contradictory to what my sister thinks, I’ve gotten better at that along with many, many other personally difficult things.

Recently, a band I really like had a concert at Strummers in the Tower District. I was the only person I knew who liked the band, so I ended up going alone. It was the first time I’d ever done something like that by myself, and I was a little nervous, but I had a fantastic time. If you are too young to drink, the employees will mark a large, black X on your hand, and I’m only 20.

This semester, I attended a sociology class on pop culture with a really cool professor. In April, he told us that he’d be doing a panel on comic book movies at Frescon, an anime and comics convention at Fresno State, and I was very interested in going. However, no one could go with me, so I went to a con by myself for the first time. Just like with the concert, I had a great time despite being very nervous.

A different professor did a panel on pulp magazines and said that anybody who wanted help getting published could go talk to him, and I did!I still need to email him a short story, but it was so great that I overcame my fear and did that.

When considering the charms on my backpack and the stickers on my laptop, it’s obvious that I’m a huge nerd. I love comic book movies, and I adore both Deadpool movies. At Dragon Ball and Heroes Con at the Fresno Fairgrounds, I actually cosplayed as a character from those films named Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and many people talked to me and took my picture, and I even participated in the cosplay contest. I have cosplayed in the past, but never at a con this big, and I had been even more nervous back then.

[mergerecords]

Ex Hex is back! It's been a while, but the power trio is back with their sophomore album It's Real. Listen to the amazing "Cosmic Cave" now at digital services and pre-order the album on digital, CD, LP, and Peak Vinyl. The latter is pressed on limited-edition “rainbow shiner” (magenta and blue swirl) vinyl and it's only available from the Merge Store or independent record stores. http://smarturl.it/ItsReal

The band will traverse North America in the spring and head to the U.K. in late May. Check the schedule ⬇︎

Ex Hex on tour:⠀ Apr 02 Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall⠀ Apr 03 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer⠀ Apr 04 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom⠀ Apr 05 Portsmouth, NH – The Press Room⠀ Apr 06 Montreal, QC – l’Escogriffe⠀ Apr 07 Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern⠀ Apr 09 Ferndale, MI – Loving Touch⠀ Apr 10 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall⠀ Apr 11 Madison, WI – High Noon⠀ Apr 12 Minneapolis, MN – Turf Club⠀ Apr 13 Omaha, NE – Reverb⠀ Apr 15 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre⠀ Apr 17 Boise, ID – Neurolux⠀ Apr 18 Portland, OR – Aladdin⠀ Apr 19 Vancouver, BC – Biltmore⠀ Apr 20 Seattle, WA – Crocodile⠀ Apr 23 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall⠀ Apr 24 Fresno, CA – Strummer’s⠀ Apr 25 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom⠀ Apr 26 Tustin, CA – Marty’s on Newport⠀ Apr 27 Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge⠀ Apr 28 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress⠀ Apr 30 Austin, TX – Barracuda⠀ May 01 Dallas, TX – Curtain Club⠀ May 03 Nashville, TN – Exit/In⠀ May 04 Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle⠀ May 05 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle⠀ May 09 Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere⠀ May 10 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club⠀ May 28 London, UK – Village Underground

[newxdiary]

--IT’LL COME TO ME—

August 21, 2022

Coffee Time: 4:45 p.m.

David Bowie, HUNKY DORY George Harrison, ALL THINGS MUST PASS Lee Perry and the Upsetters, RUDE WALKING

Am I anything right now, but a tired thoughtless lump threading his way between several mundane social ordeals on his way back to sleep. Possibly

Last night I drove a man from My Father’s Place to his home in Hazelwood. We talked of horror movies along the way. Last night, I drove an old customer and his lighted staff to a warehouse party near the Union Pacific Yard. Last night I drove two fools from Mississippi to Nob Hill. Last night I drove a stripper whose career is imperiled by a dislocated shoulder. Last night I drove two boys whose ride ditched them at the Golden Dragon. I listened to Joe Strummer’s Streetcore over and over again. Then I listened to the Beastie Boys over and over again. When I was in range, I checked my apartment a couple of times, and I prowled the neighborhood.

I’m obsessed with local crime. It’s occupying my mind. I haven’t even taken my camera out over the last few days. This is an unhappy state. Maybe going to Sean’s for dinner will do me some good. Otherwise, dismal times are here.

[ghosted-sound]

Dark Time Sunshine "Take My Hand" ft. Swamburger of Solillaquists of Sound & Aesop Rock by Fake Four, Inc. Dark Time Sunshine "Take My Hand" ft. Swamburger of Solillaquists of Sound & Aesop Rock from ANX out on Fake Four, Inc./Fieldwerk July 24th! Pre-order via Fake Four, Inc.: https://ift.tt/30udLA4 Pre-order via Fieldwerk Recordings: https://ift.tt/3kIWMkN See Dark Time Sunshine on tour this summer with Aesop Rock: 07.11 | Yuma, AZ | Strummers Village Tavern # 07.12 | Las Vegas, NV | The Bunk House # 07.13 | Los Angeles, CA | El Rey Theatre 07.14 | Woodland, CA | The Stag # 07.15 | San Francisco, CA | The Fillmore 07.16 | Reno, NV | Ruebens Cantina # 07.17 | Bend, OR | Liquid Lounge # 07.18 | Bellingham, WA | The Glow # 07.19 | Portland, OR | Wonder Ballroom 07.20 | Eugene, OR | John Henry’s # 07.21 | Seattle, WA | The Crocodile **ANX Album Release Party w/ Very Special Guests # 07.22 | Boise, ID | The Crux # 07.23 | Salt Lake City, UT | In The Venue 07.24 | Denver, CO | Summit Music Hall 07.25 | Kansas City, MO | Record Bar # 07.26 | Minneapolis, MN | First Avenue 07.27 | Madison, WI | Barrymore Theatre 07.28 | Chicago, IL | Metro 07.29 | Peoria, IL | The Brass Rail # 07.31 | New Haven, CT | Cafe 9 # 08.01 | Portland, ME | The Big Easy # 08.02 | Boston, MA | Paradise Rock Club 08.03 | New York, NY | Irving Plaza 08.04 | Philadelphia, PA | Union Transfer 08.05 | Washington, DC | 9:30 Club 08.07 | Atlanta, GA | The Loft 08.09 | Dallas, TX | Granada Theater 08.10 | Houston, TX | Fitzgerald’s 08.11 | Austin, TX | Mohawk 08.12 | Las Cruces, NM | The Main Stem # 08.13 | Tucson, AZ | Rialto Theater 08.14 | Tempe, AZ | Marquee Theater 08.15 | San Diego, CA | Belly Up # Solo Dark Time Sunshine shows w/ Crushcon7

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “Under The Rainbow” by Cursive

Cursive hasn’t been totally absent from the music realm, though it has been quite some time since the group last released a record; vocalist Tim Kasher focusing on some other projects since the release of their seventh studio album back in 2012. Six years is a long while for any band to go without offering up new material, but perhaps it was necessary for what is to come, as it allowed events around the globe to play out and provide ideas for Vitriola (due to be released on October 5th via 15 Passenger), which is shaping up to be a socially and politically charged record. It also seems as if it will usher in a return to the form to Cursive’s early days with material rooted in primal emotions that aim to get people to assess the state things. The second single from the upcoming album is a prime example of that, “Under the Rainbow” being electrifying as it attempts to remove the veil from the eyes of people who still have their vision restricted.

“The one percent live in high rises. They block out the sun for all the denizens under the rainbow…” That first verse instantly sets the tone of the track that illustrates the vast differences between the wealthy and elite and the droves of people that do whatever they can to make ends meet, probably even struggling while trying to get by. And cleverly at that, using the rainbow to represent unlimited possibilities that are just out of reach for those on the ground. Right off the bat “Under the Rainbow” highlights the clear differences between the average citizen and the privileged few and only adds to it from there, Cursive pushing the narrative that they are the ones in charge of creating and implementing rules, every single one done to favor their interests, and all the while most go on oblivious to those facts. Possibly because they’re unaware of the true power those people wield, or maybe it’s blissful ignorance, wanting to believe that the control isn’t as one-sided as it really is. It’s definitely a political song, though it pulls it off without ever displaying any sort of partisanship. Rather, it comes from the perspective of a person completely disillusioned with the entire structure of power, additional verses attesting to that. (“…Boy, I shook myself awake so long ago… We’ve been fed lies, we’ve all been duped. And we don’t want to know the truth…”.) It’s written exceptionally well, the blunt remarks and primal emotions painting a bleak picture, one where the average person has been left to fend for themselves, reality diminishing their hopes and dreams as they’re left feeling isolated from those they entrusted with the ability of acting in their best interest. The result is someone who has become jaded and outright angry. Kasher embodies that persona. At times it’s more of an underlying component, though he is constantly seething, at times even channeling his frustration by shouting the lyrics, as if mourning the promises that have been broken, those of an idyllic world where everyone has an equal voice and gets a fair opportunity. The song is similar to those of Cursive’s earliest works, though they’ve brought in the refined sound they’ve honed over the last couple of decades or so. Because of that “Under the Rainbow” possesses somewhat of a DIY quality but with a polished flare. It’s brash demeanor hints at some punk rock influences, the guitars frequently being bold and chaotic, while the percussion hits like a jackhammer. At the same time, their indie rock flare is also present, yielding a track that offers the best of both worlds, the intricacies of it pairing well with the fact that it’s a force to be reckoned with. It’s still too early to tell, though Vitriola seems to be shaping up to be the strongest release from Cursive in years, if not ever. One that’s presumably going to be rooted in the plights faced by the modern human being, of which there is a rich trove of subject matter to draw upon. If so, then that would be a perfect album for the times we’re in thanks to evolving technology and rapidly changing societies; and if the other songs can live up to the standard that has been established so far then it will be a serious contender for album of the year. Pre-order Vitriola on: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3 Visit Cursive’s websites: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Current Shows: 2018 October 18--Kansas City, MO--The Record Bar 19--St. Louis, MO--Off Broadway 20--Louisville, KY--Headliners Music Hall 21--Nashville, TN--The Basement East 23--Tallahassee, FL--The Wilbury 25--Fort Lauderdale, FL--Culture Room 27--Orlando, FL--The Social 28--Jacksonville, FL--Jack Rabbits 30--Atlanta, GA--The Masquerade 31--Charlotte, NC--The Underground – Fillmore November 1--Carrboro, NC--Cat's Cradle 2--Washington, DC--9:30 Club 3--Philadelphia, PA--Union Transfer 4--Asbury Park, NJ--Stone Pony 6--Amityville, NY--Amityville Music Hall 7--New York, NY--Irving Plaza 8--Boston, MA--Paradise Rock Club 9--Hamden, CT--Space Ballroom 10--Buffalo, NY—Tralf 11--Pittsburgh, PA--Rex Theater 12--Columbus, OH--Ace of Cups 13--Cleveland, OH--Grog Shop 14--Detroit, MI--El Club 15--Chicago, IL--Thalia Hall 16--Madison, WI--High Noon Saloon 17--St Paul, MN--Turf Club 18--Omaha, NE--Waiting Room Lounge 2019 January 18--Denver, CO--The Bluebird Theater 19--Boulder, CO--The Fox Theatre 21--Salt Lake City, UT--Metro Music Hall 22--Boise, ID—Neurolux 23--Spokane, WA--The Bartlett 24--Bellingham, WA--Wild Buffalo 25--Seattle, WA--The Crocodile 26--Portland, OR--Doug Fir Lounge 28--Redding, CA--The Dip Redng 29--San Francisco, CA--August Hall 30--Fresno, CA--Strummer's Bar & Grill 31--Los Angeles, CA--Regent Theater DTLA February 2--Pomona, CA--The Glass House 4--Las Vegas, NV--Bunkhouse Saloon 5--Phoenix, AZ--Crescent Ballroom 6--El Paso, TX--Lowbrow Palace 7--Lubbock, TX--Jake's 8--San Antonio, TX--Paper Tiger 9--Austin, TX—Mohawk 10--Houston, TX--White Oak Music Hall 11--Dallas, TX--Trees

[thrashxunreal]

Mercy Union // Strummer Jam 2018 // Bowery Ballroom

[maentglobal]

#THISWILLDESTROYYOU will return to stages this fall on a North American headlining tour. Slated to commence on October 16th in Phoenix, Arizona, the trek will wind its way through over two dozen cities, coming to a close November 17th in San Diego, California. See all confirmed dates below. The tour will follow the release of the band's fifth studio full-length, set to drop September 28th, via Dark Operative. Further details to be unveiled in the coming weeks.   THIS WILL DESTROY YOU: 10/16/2018 The Rebel Lounge - Phoenix, AZ [tickets]     10/18/2018 Mohawk - Austin, TX [tickets] 10/19/2018 White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX 10/20/2018 Granada Theatre - Dallas, TX [tickets] 10/22/2018 The Masquerade - Hell Stage - Atlanta, GA [tickets] 10/23/2018 Motorco - Durham, NC [tickets] 10/25/2018 Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA [tickets] 10/26/2018 Metro Gallery - Baltimore, MD [tickets] 10/27/2018 Warsaw - Brooklyn, NY [tickets] 10/28/2018 Brighton Music Hall - Allston, MA [tickets] 10/29/2018 Bar Le "Ritz" P.D.B. - Montreal, QC [tickets] 10/30/2018 Lee's Palace - Toronto, ON [tickets] 10/31/2018 El Club - Detroit, MI [tickets] 11/02/2018 Metro - Chicago, IL [tickets] 11/03/2018 Maintenance Shop - Iowa State University - Ames, IA [tickets] 11/04/2018 Turf Club - St. Paul, MN [tickets] 11/07/2018 Neumos - Seattle, WA [tickets] 11/08/2018 Rickshaw Theatre - Vancouver, BC [tickets] 11/09/2018 Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR [tickets] 11/10/2018 WOW Hall - Eugene, OR [tickets] 11/12/2018 The Big Room at Sierra Nevada - Chico, CA [tickets] 11/13/2018 Harlow's - Sacramento, CA [tickets] 11/14/2018 Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA [tickets] 11/15/2018 Strummers - Fresno, CA [tickets] 11/16/2018 The Regent Theater - Los Angeles, CA [tickets] 11/17/2018 Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA [tickets] @maentglobal #maentglobal #music #musiclife #news #musician #metalband #metalhead #metal #rock #rockmusician #rockmusic #concerts #concert

[sinceileftyoublog]

Bill MacKay Live Show Review: 6/18, Constellation Chicago

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Little did I know that seeing Wire at Metro would be the last one of these for a while, huh?!? In all seriousness, local favorite guitar hero Bill MacKay couldn’t have been a better way to return to taking in a live show at an indoor venue. Constellation, which hosted a number of live streams throughout this past year, is now open at full capacity, allowing vaccinated folks like myself to sit and enjoy some experimental music. On Friday, MacKay played in conjunction with Timothy Breen’s film projections, together making for a totally enveloping experience of sound and light.

MacKay included quite a bit from Keys, his excellent new album with multi-instrumentalist Nathan Bowles, and with just his guitar, voice, and pedals, was able to generate a sound different from but just as rich as the record, one only bolstered by Breen’s videos. MacKay’s expansive country guitar on set opener “Honey Time”, with echo and percussion from taps on his guitar, was joined by hues of red with a horseshoe-shaped light, while the nasal twang of “Late For Your Funeral Again” was presented with shadowy blues, purples, and greens, more muted, solemn colors to go along with the song’s mortal themes. He also played journeying strummer “Truth” and the bluesy “Joy Ride”, during which he glanced back at the projections at one point and smiled, a positive mood that added to the song’s jubilant front porch stomp.

For the final three songs (Esker’s “Wail”, an excerpt from 2019 composition “Scarf”, and Fountain Fire’s “Arcadia”), MacKay switched to electric guitar and stood up, and his shadow imposed upon the lights, along with the whining buzz of guitar feedback, provided an eerie mixture of surrealism and realism. Yet, his performance was always grounded; he smiled when somebody in the audience dropped something, as if it was a welcome addition to the improvisational chaos of his propulsive, distorted shredding. At one point earlier in the night, MacKay mixed the released “Grapes on the Vine” with an unreleased track called “Locust Land”, a union he likened to “strangers meeting in the night.” All in all, much of the performance felt like that: aspects you’re familiar with here and there coming in contact with elementary randomness, the type of show that only a venue like Constellation could put together, that you couldn’t really appreciate in a COVID-safe environment spaced out in a park. It’s good to be back.